Phillies offense breaks out in 12-2 rout of Morton, Braves

ATLANTA (AP) — Odúbel Herrera hit a three-run homer in Philadelphia's six-run first inning and the streaking Phillies beat Charlie Morton and the Atlanta Braves 12-2 on Friday night in their top-scoring game this season.

Boosted by the return of Jean Segura and Bryce Harper from injuries, the Phillies set a season high with 16 hits.

J.T. Realmuto had three hits, including a two-run homer, and Segura drove in two runs with four hits. The Phillies stretched their winning streak to five games.

“It was a great day for me and it was a great day for the team, too,” Segura said.

Herrera is attempting to claim the starting job in centerfield, an unstable position for the Phillies this season.

“We’ve just seen better swings and the ball jumping off his bat gap to gap,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said. “That was a big three-run homer for him tonight, and us.”

Herrera's emergence as a power hitter could add depth to the Phillies' lineup.

“You’ve got me hitting seventh and Odubel eighth,” Segura said. “It shows you how deep a lineup we have. It’s one of the best lineups I've ever played with.”

The attendance was 38,952 as the Braves allowed 100% capacity for the first time since before the coronavirus pandemic. The big crowd was not a sellout but almost doubled the season’s previous high of 20,673 against Arizona on April 25.

Zach Eflin (2-1) gave up a second-inning home run to Dansby Swanson. It was a rare mistake for Eflin, who allowed two runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings with eight strikeouts.

Morton (2-2) didn't survive the first inning, recording only two outs. All six runs were unearned, thanks to a passed ball by rookie William Contreras that allowed Rhys Hoskins to reach on a strikeout. Alec Bohm's bases-loaded...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Phillies-offense-breaks-out-in-12-2-rout-of-16161389.php