Bad second inning dooms Joel De La Cruz, Braves in 8-2 loss to Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies capitalized on a big second inning as the Atlanta Braves dropped their second straight game with an 8-2 loss.

Things started well enough for the Braves as Eric Aybar jumped on a fastball and drove it out to right for his first home run of the season.

However, things went downhill quickly from there. Philadelphia scored seven times in the second inning off Braves’ starter Joel De La Cruz including long home runs by Odubel Herrera and Maikel Franco.

De La Cruz would settle down from there and saved the Atlanta bullpen by pitching six innings. He ended up allowing seven hits and seven runs but only four were earned.

Philadelphia added an insurance run in the seventh on an RBI single by Tanner Joseph off reliever Mauricio Cabrera. The Braves scored their final run in the eighth on an RBI hit from Nick Markakis that scored Freddie Freeman.

Jerad Eickhoff picks up the win allowing five hits and two runs over 7 2/3 innings of work.

Atlanta once again failed to generate much offense and finished with just six hits total. Jeff Francoeur had a good day at the plate going 2-for-4 but the Braves were just 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

The Braves and Phillies are back at it again on Tuesday with Mike Foltynewicz scheduled to make the start for Atlanta.