'Very, very impressive': Schwellenbach leads Braves over Phils

ATLANTA -- Spencer Schwellenbach's seventh career MLB start was a quality one on Saturday against the Phillies.

Schwellenbach went six innings, allowed one run on seven hits and struck out six without issuing a walk as the Braves evened the series with a 5-1 win over Philadelphia at Truist Park.

Schwellenbach earned his second career win, and it was the third time in his young career in which he went six innings while allowing three runs or fewer. It was the second time Schwellenbach went at least five innings without issuing a walk.

Schwellenbach, who was selected by the Braves in the second round of the 2021 Draft, allowed four runs in five innings in his two starts prior to Saturday.

“[I] turned it around from last week and [came] in and [made] some adjustments, just hammering the strike zone,” Schwellenbach said.

The Braves’ offense greeted Phillies starter Ranger Suárez rudely with three runs in the first inning, highlighted by Marcell Ozuna’s 23rd home run of the season -- a two-run shot -- which gave Schwellenbach an early lead to work with.

“It’s always nice to pitch with the lead,” Schwellenbach said. “That’s something I’ve seen [Ozuna] do plenty since being up here. It’s always good to see.”

Prior to Saturday, Schwellenbach had four total runs of support.

“That was very, very impressive from the get-go,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I’m glad we scored some runs for him. We hadn’t scored many runs in his starts. He’s pitched well enough to have more than two wins. I thought that was really good.”

It was the seventh time this season the Phillies have been held to one run or fewer in a loss.

After committing three errors in one inning on Friday, Atlanta’s defense was sharp behind Schwellenbach on Saturday. A crucial moment in the game came in the top of the second, when Brandon Marsh led off with a single and was driven to third by Kody Clemens' single.

Clemens tried to stretch the single into a double, but he was thrown out by Braves right fielder Adam Duvall.

“That was big, too,” Snitker said. “When you play a team like this, those outs are precious. When you can get them like that, it’s big.”

“Getting an out on the basepaths, that’s always huge,” Schwellenbach said. “Instead of guys on second and third there, it’s just a runner on third. I ended up getting out of that inning. That was huge.”

Schwellenbach ended his outing with 81 pitches (60 strikes), but he has not pitched more than six innings in his MLB career.

“I was ready to go out for the seventh,” Schwellenbach said. “[Snitker] told me I was done. When you can get the ball to the bullpen with the lead, it’s always a good thing.”

Three Braves relievers slammed the door for Schwellenbach as they combined for three innings of hitless ball with five strikeouts and a Joe Jiménez walk -- the lone blemish.

“This is his first year,” Snitker said. “I don’t think giving him extra innings is going to do us any good down the road. There may be times, but the bullpen was in really good shape. I just kind of felt like he had done his job. I liked that he was ready to go back out.”

Schwellebach’s third start at Truist Park was delayed by rain for 31 minutes and it was in front of an announced sellout crowd of 41,006. Among the attendees was longtime Braves manager and Hall of Famer Bobby Cox.

“There was a little extra in there for sure,” Schwellenbach said of his energy. “Night game, a little delay. You could feel it in the dugout and before the game, when I got on the mound, it’s like, ‘Let’s go.’”

Ozzie Albies, who entered Saturday’s game with a .337 batting average against left-handed pitchers, went 2-for-3 against Suárez, including a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth that gave the Braves a 5-1 lead.

Suárez had a 2.27 ERA ahead of Saturday’s contest. He allowed five runs on six hits and two walks against Atlanta and his ERA inflated to 2.58. It was Suárez’s second-most earned runs allowed this season. He gave up six earned runs in his June 30 start against the Marlins. It’s the second time in his career that he has allowed five-plus runs in consecutive appearances.