LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Justin Upton's two home runs helped the Braves overcome Kris Medlen's shaky start and claim a 17-10 win over the Phillies in a slugfest at Champion Stadium on Monday afternoon.
Upton began his first three-hit game of the spring season with a towering two-run home run that highlighted Atlanta's six-run first inning against Rodrigo Lopez. He added a three-run home run off Colton Murray with two outs in the third inning.
Juan Francisco had a two-run single off Lopez in the first inning and hit an opposite-field home run off Michael Stutes in the fourth. While hitting three of his five home runs in his past four games, Francisco has strengthened his battle against Chris Johnson to begin the season as Atlanta's starting third baseman.
After Lopez surrendered seven hits and six runs in the first inning, Medlen allowed the Phillies to score five runs on seven hits in the second inning. Darin Ruf's RBI double was the only extra-base recorded during the inning. Yuniesky Betancourt, Humberto Quintero and Ben Revere each produced a single that drove in a run.
Dominic Brown notched a single in the second inning and then added to Medlen's woes with a two-run home run in Philadelphia's four-run fifth inning. It was Brown's fifth homer of the spring.
Medlen surrendered 14 hits and nine earned runs while throwing 84 pitches in five innings. The Braves right-hander had allowed just four runs in the 13 2/3 spring innings he had previously completed.
Freddie Freeman aided the Braves' 19-hit attack with a two-run home run in the second inning. Betancourt, Quintero, Revere, Brown and Ryan Howard each recorded multi-hit performances for the Phillies, who tallied 17 hits in the loss.
Box Score
Up next: After enjoying an off day Tuesday, the Braves will play host to the Pirates in Lake Buena Vista at 1:05 p.m. on Wednesday. The game can be seen live on MLB.TV and on FOX Sports South.
Mike Minor is scheduled to complete six innings in what will be his fifth start of the exhibition season. Right-handed reliever Jordan Walden, who has been sidelined because of a bulging disc in his back, will make his first appearance since Feb. 23.
--- Source: MLB.com