Marcell Ozuna homers to help the Braves top the first-place Phillies 3-1

ATLANTA (AP) — Marcell Ozuna homered and Reynaldo López pitched five strong innings in his return from the injured list, leading the Atlanta Braves to a 3-1 win over the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night.

In the opener of a crucial three-game series, the six-time reigning division champs pulled within six games of Philadelphia. The rivals will meet six more times over the next 12 games, a stretch that gives the depleted Braves a chance to further close the gap.

“For sure, this is a playoff game for us,” Ozuna said.

Ozuna and López provided a huge lift for Atlanta, which learned a day earlier that slugging third baseman Austin Riley will miss at least the rest of the regular season with a broken hand.

It was just the latest in an unrelenting string of injuries that have put the division-winning streak in jeopardy and left the Braves clinging to the NL’s final wild-card slot.

“We kind of started the game, if you get right down to it, on a little bit of a downer with Austin’s situation and seeing him in the cast,” manager Brian Snitker said. “But these guys, whether it’s good, bad or ugly, nothing phases them.”

Ozuna broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth with his 37th homer of the season, a 432-foot drive over the center-field wall off Zack Wheeler (12-6), who missed a chance to collect his 100th career win against his hometown club.

After connecting on a 95 mph fastball, Ozuna dropped his bat and stood frozen at home plate, admiring his mammoth shot as it disappeared into the bushes beyond the wall.

Ozuna came into the night leading the NL in average and RBIs and second in homers, trailing only Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers with 39.

But Ozuna insisted that he’s not thinking about becoming the first NL player to pull off the Triple Crown since Joe Medwick in 1937.

“I don’t worry about it because, on the other side, everybody knows there is a robot,” Ozuna said with a smile. “Ohtani is a robot.”

López made his first start since July 28, when the All-Star pitcher lasted just three innings against the New York Mets before leaving with tightness in his right forearm.

After a stint on the injured list, López resumed his stellar season by striking out 10 for his first game with double-digit Ks since 2019 when he was with the Chicago White Sox.

“I didn’t expect things to go as well as they did,” López said through an interpreter. “The most important thing is that the team won and at the end of the day, I feel good.”

Grant Holmes (2-0) earned the win with two perfect innings after taking over for López. Raisel Iglesias handled the ninth for his 27th save in 29 chances.

Michael Harris II put the Braves ahead in the third inning with a run-scoring single after former Phillies infielder Whit Merrifield led off with a triple.

The Phillies tied it in the fourth, stringing together three hits against López that included J.T. Realmuto’s RBI single.

The Atlanta lineup included three players who were released by other teams this season, including new third baseman Gio Urshela. He drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth to extend the Braves’ lead, just two days after he was let go by the Detroit Tigers.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said his team must keep the pressure on the Braves, even while maintaining a relatively comfortable lead in the division race.

“It’s nice but it’s not over,” he said. “We got a long way to go and we got to keep putting our foot on the pedal.”

Center field at Truist Park was pockmarked with unsightly square splotches, the remnants of where the stage was set up for a concert last weekend by country star Luke Bryan.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Phillies: OF Austin Hays (left hamstring strain) began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. If there are no setbacks, he could rejoin the team this weekend for its series at Kansas City. ... LHP Ranger Suárez (lower back soreness) is projected to return to the rotation Saturday against the Royals.

Braves: OF Jorge Soler (left hamstring strain) was expected to miss his fifth consecutive game. But he came up in the eighth inning as a pinch hitter, drew a walk from José Alvarado and was quickly replaced by pinch-runner Adam Duvall.

RH Aaron Nola (11-6, 3.45 ERA) takes the mount for the Phillies on Wednesday, opposed by Braves LH Max Fried (7-7, 3.62 ERA). The Atlanta starter has struggled in his two appearances against Philadelphia this season, surrendering eight earned runs on 13 hits and four walks in 6 2/3 innings.

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