Monday March 18th, 2024 10:17PM

Wisler struggles in Phillies rout of Braves

By The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA — It was a night to forget for rookie Matt Wisler and the Atlanta Braves.

Wisler allowed seven runs in 4 2/3 innings and the Braves didn't provide much offensive help as slumping Atlanta lost its season-worst sixth straight game in a 12-2 rout by the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night.

The 22-year-old Wisler (5-2) had his worst start in his eighth career outing while giving up eight hits with three strikeouts and one walk.

"I've just got to learn from it and fix things in the bullpen," Wisler said.

Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said nights like this are part of the process for a young pitcher.

"He'll be fine," Gonzalez said. "He made a couple of mistakes. It's all about growing pains with a young pitcher. Sometimes they have two to three good outings and then struggle a little. It's just one of those days. He'll go back and get ready to get the ball and get back on track."

The Braves have been trying to get back on track as a team, but haven't been able to do so of late.

Atlanta has dropped 13 of their last 14 away from Turner Field, and nine of their last 10 overall.

"Losses like this are not good for anybody," Gonzalez said.

Nick Markakis homered for Atlanta.

Odubel Herrera, Freddy Galvis and Cameron Rupp all homered as surging Philadelphia set a season high for runs.

Ryan Howard had three hits with a double and an RBI for the Phillies, who are a major league-best 12-2 since the All-Star break after setting a club record with 62 losses before it. At 41-64, Philadelphia still has the worst mark in baseball.

"It looks to me like everybody feels we're going to score runs," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "They look like they feel they're going to win. We're on a pretty good roll right now."

Maikel Franco had two doubles and two RBIs, Herrera had three hits and Cesar Hernandez and Galvis each had two as the Phillies pounded out 15 hits.

"We're stringing hits together in bunches," Mackanin said.

Aaron Nola (2-1) settled down after the first inning to earn his second career victory in his third start. The 22-year-old right-hander allowed two runs and five hits in five innings, with three strikeouts and no walks.

Markakis homered leading off the game, and the Braves tacked on another run in the first on A.J. Pierzynski's RBI single for a 2-0 advantage. However, Nola gave up two hits in four scoreless innings after that.

Phillies relievers Elvis Araujo, Hector Neris and Dalier Hinojosa then combined to allow one hit in four scoreless innings, lowering the bullpen's ERA to 1.68 in the last 14 games.

After getting a run back in the bottom of the first, Philadelphia totaled 11 runs in the middle three innings.

Franco tied it at 2 in the fourth by running through the stop sign at third on Howard's single to center. Rupp put Philadelphia in front with his second homer of the season, a three-run shot to left, later in the inning.

The game-changing homer came against the No. 8 hitter in the lineup.

"I need to pitch better than that," Wisler said. "The three-run homer just can't happen."

Herrera's long drive to the second deck in right and Domonic Brown's RBI single scored two runs in the fifth, giving Philadelphia a 7-2 lead. Howard scored on Brown's hit after jarring the ball loose from catcher Pierzynski on a headfirst slide into home plate, a call that was upheld after a video review.

Galvis' three-run homer to right highlighted Philadelphia's five-run sixth inning against right-hander David Aardsma that put the Phillies ahead by 10.

BIG TURNAROUND

Since the break, Phillies starters are 8-2 with a 3.64 ERA after ranking last in the majors by going 18-49 with a 5.44 ERA prior to it. Offensively, Philadelphia has averaged 5.57 runs since the break after scoring an MLB-low 3.38 runs per contest before the break.

HOT HOWARD

Howard has 32 RBIs in his last 34 games.

"The confidence has always been there," Howard said. "It's just a matter of finding real estate every once in a while."

UP NEXT

The teams wrap up the four-game series on Sunday afternoon when Braves RHP Julio Teheran (6-6, 4.71) faces Philadelphia LHP Adam Morgan (2-2, 4.05).

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