PHILADELPHIA -- Jo-Jo Reyes surrendered three homers and dealt with the consequences of his errant throw during a four-run second inning that the Phillies used to vault themselves toward a 10-6 win over the Braves at Citizens Bank Park on Friday night.
Reyes' troubles began when he walked Chris Coste to load the bases with two outs in the second inning, which was prolonged with a Yunel Escobar error. Cole Hamels followed with a swinging bunt that Reyes fielded before making an errant throw that allowed two runs to score.
Braves manager Bobby Cox's provided a futile argument that Hamels was running inside the baseline, and Cox returned to the dugout just in time to watch Jimmy Rollins cap the four-run inning with a two-run single.
The early advantage was more than enough for Hamels, who earned his first win of the season while limiting the Braves to two runs and three hits in six innings.
While winning for the seventh time in 10 career decisions against Atlanta, the reigning World Series MVP was damaged only by Brian McCann's two-out, two-run single in the fourth inning.
McCann's return to the lineup for the first time since April 22 didn't have much of an effect on Hamels, who was perfect during four of the six innings he pitched. The Braves didn't produce a baserunner until Chipper Jones singled with two outs in the fourth inning.
Casey Kotchman added a three-run homer in the ninth off Phillies closer Brad Lidge.
Reyes, who is 0-9 with a 6.61 ERA in the 18 appearances (17 starts) that he's made since earning his last Major League win, allowed the Phillies to build their lead with homers from Coste, Chase Utley and Jayson Werth.
The Braves' 24-year-old left-hander fell to 0-2 with an 8.66 ERA in four career appearances at Citizens Bank Park.
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The Braves and Phillies play again Saturday. Game time is 3:40 p.m. Javier Vazquez starts for Atlanta while Joe Blanton throws for Philadelphia.
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Source: MLB.com
Casey Kotchman's three-run homer was his second home run of the season.
- Photo2 by Tim Evearitt