The Atlanta Braves needed a sweep in the series if they wanted any shot at catching the Phillies in the NL East. They got their sweep, but not the kind they wanted. The Phils came back to beat the Braves 3-2, handing them their first three game sweep of the season, knocking the Braves 10.5 games back in the NL East and 12 games back in the loss column.
It was a humbling night for the Braves, who not only got swept but watched their much vaunted bullpen blow a lead in the 8th inning and lose the game in the 9th. All Star set up man Jonny Venters, who has been fantastic this season, served up an RBI single to Placido Polanco in the 8th and Peter Moylan gave up the walk off hit to Ross Gload in the 9th. The hit broke a 4-33 slump for Gload and gave him his league leading 17th pinch hit of the season.
Raul Ibanez also had a good night hitting his 18th HR of the season and scoring the winning run after working a walk with one out in the 9th. Roy Oswalt looked strong finishing the night allowing 2 runs and 4 hits over 7 innings, striking out 7.
The Phillies are now 43 games over .500 for the first time in team history and their magic number to clinch the division is now at 12. They need just 11 wins from their final 23 games to set a single season franchise record. Coming into this series, the Braves had the second best record in the NL... after it, that distinction belongs to the Milwaukee Brewers, who the Phillies face next in a 4 game series.