The Phillies couldn’t get through the first inning Sunday without falling behind, and they never recovered.
Atlanta scored three runs before recording an out and added three more in the second, handing the Phillies a 6–2 loss in the series finale and sending them to 9–19 on the season. It marked another missed opportunity to gain footing after Saturday’s win, and another series defeat for a club still searching for consistency.
The game turned quickly.
Ronald Acuña Jr. opened the bottom of the first with a sharply hit infield single, and Drake Baldwin followed with a base hit of his own. Matt Olson then drove a pitch out of the ballpark for a three-run home run, giving the Braves an early lead before the Phillies could settle in defensively.
An inning later, the gap widened.
Mauricio Dubón led off the second with a triple to right-center, and Eli White followed with a two-run homer into the Phillies bullpen. Acuña later walked and stole second before Baldwin delivered an RBI single, pushing the lead to 6–0 and putting the Phillies in an early hole they couldn’t climb out of.
Aaron Nola absorbed the loss, continuing a difficult start to the season.
The right-hander lasted 4 2/3 innings, throwing 101 pitches while allowing six runs on seven hits. He walked three and struck out six, but the early innings proved costly. It was the second consecutive outing in which Nola failed to complete five innings, and he has now allowed 11 runs over his last nine innings of work. Through six starts, his ERA sits at 6.03.
After the second inning, Nola managed to limit further damage, but the deficit had already taken shape.
On the other side, Chris Sale controlled the game throughout.
The left-hander held the Phillies to one hit and two walks over six shutout innings, striking out nine. Philadelphia rarely threatened against him, struggling to generate consistent contact or sustained pressure.
The Phillies broke through in the eighth inning.
Rafael Marchán reached on a fielding error by Austin Riley, and Kyle Schwarber followed with a two-run home run — his ninth of the season — to cut the lead to 6–2. It was the first scoring of the day for Philadelphia, but it came too late to change the outcome.
Atlanta closed out the game without issue, securing the series win and sending the Phillies to another defeat in a stretch that has defined their opening month.
The Phillies have not won a series since April 3–5 in Colorado.
They will have Monday off before returning to Citizens Bank Park to open a three-game set against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday. Jesús Luzardo is scheduled to start for Philadelphia opposite Tyler Mahle, with first pitch set for 6:40 p.m. ET.
For now, the standings reflect the reality.
The Phillies remain stuck in a difficult stretch, still looking for answers as April winds down.
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