Phillies Win Over Braves

Manager Larry Bowa challenged the Philadelphia Phillies` resolve after the Atlanta Braves swept a three-game series from them last week.

His words apparently hit home.

"Yeah, that`s true, but we still have a long way to go," Bowa said. "I think the race is far from over. I think the Braves are still the team to beat, and you can`t count the Florida Marlins out."

Pat Burrell hit a three-run homer, and David Coggin held Atlanta to three hits over seven innings as the Phillies increased their lead in the NL East to two games over the Braves with a 4-1 victory Wednesday night.

The Phillies, winning for the sixth time in seven games since Atlanta`s sweep, took a 3-1 lead with no outs in the sixth on Burrell`s 418-foot shot into left-center field.

"I go out there every day and try to hit the ball hard," said Burrell, who had gone 66 at-bats, dating to June 14, without a homer. "Home runs are one thing, but the thing I`m concerned about is batting average."

Coggin (1-0), making his second start, did not return after a 41-minute rain delay in the top of the eighth. The game was again delayed by rain for 1:17 in the top of the ninth.

Coggin, a rookie right-hander, walked none, struck out six and retired the final 15 hitters he faced.

"I had a little bit of everything working," he said. "I was just trying to throw strikes and keep the defense on their toes."

Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, who went 0-for-4 after going 4-for-4 with two homers the night before, was impressed with Coggin`s command.

"It was the first time we`d seen the guy," Jones said. "We didn`t know what to expect from him. When a pitcher is locating and changing speeds as well as he was, you`re going to get beat."

Rheal Cormier pitched the eighth, and Jose Mesa the ninth for his 22nd save in 24 chances.

Burrell`s homer ended Odalis Perez`s stretch of 13 consecutive scoreless innings against the Phillies in Atlanta.

"I tried to go inside and left it over the middle of the plate," Perez said of facing Burrell. "They`re only two games up. We`re in the race. Tonight, we got only four hits. It`s part of the game. We`ll get them tomorrow."

Perez (6-6) was chased with one out in the sixth after Marlon Anderson`s RBI single made it 4-1. The left-hander gave up four runs, eight hits, struck out five and walked two in 5 1-3 innings.

The Braves had won nine of 11 after going 29-15 since May 13. Atlanta, 6-5 against Philadelphia this season, had won its previous four against the Phillies.

Perez, attempting to win his third straight start, beat the Phillies 10-4 on June 27, giving up three hits and two earned runs in five innings. In eight previous starts and one relief appearance, Perez was 5-1 with a 2.45 ERA.

Atlanta took a 1-0 lead on B.J. Surhoff`s RBI groundout in the third. On Tuesday night, the Braves erased a 5-1 deficit to win 14-7.

"This is baseball," Jones said. "We`re not going to score 14 runs every night. It all depends on the quality of the pitching."

Game notes:
Burrell hadn`t homered in a victory since May 29, when the Phillies beat the New York Mets 7-3. In the next 32 games, he homered twice, once in a 3-2 loss at Boston on June 8 and again June 14, when the Phillies fell 6-3 at Tampa Bay. ... Steve Reed relieved Perez and pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings before giving way to Kerry Ligtenberg, who gave up a single to Johnny Estrada before the first rain delay. But Ligtenberg got Anderson to hit into a double play and struck out Turner Ward when play resumed. ... An announced crowd of 46,579 was the sixth sellout of the season for Atlanta.

Article continues below

---

advertisement

---

Author: 6 ABC - Action News