BY BILL TROCCHI
ATLANTA (AP) — Ranger Suárez pitched seven strong innings and the Philadelphia Phillies edged the Atlanta Braves 2-1 to take the three-game series on Sunday.
Suárez (7-2) gave up just one run on four hits. He struck out eight, walked one and lowered his ERA to 2.00.
Orion Kerkering pitched a scoreless eighth and Matt Strahm earned his fifth save for the Phillies.
Otto Kemp’s double into the left field corner in the fifth inning scored Bryson Scott from first, and Kemp later came home on Trea Turner’s sacrifice fly to center to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead.
Spencer Strider (3-6) had another strong start against the Phillies but lost for just the second time in 10 career decisions against Philadelphia. He gave up two runs on five hits in seven innings, striking out four and walking three.
Catcher Sean Murphy was the lone Brave to do damage against Suárez, crushing a 451-foot home run to center field in the second inning. No other Brave reached second base in Suárez’s seven innings.
Kyle Schwarber was 2 for 3 with a walk and Nick Castellanos had two hits for the Phillies, who lead the NL East.
Braves first baseman Matt Olson was 2 for 4 and extended his on-base streak to 30 games, the longest active one in the majors.
Key moment
The Braves had runners on first and third with two outs in the ninth inning before Strahm got Stuart Fairchild to fly out to center field to end the game.
Key stat
Suárez has 10 consecutive quality starts, longest streak by a Phillies pitcher since Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee each did it in 2013.
Up next
Phillies: RHP Zack Wheeler (7-3, 2.45) will open a three-game home series against the Padres on Monday. San Diego has yet to announce a starter.
Braves: Rookie Didier Fuentes (0-2, 10.80) will make his third career start Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series in Atlanta against Angels LHP Tyler Anderson (2-5. 4.41).
