A 24-minute rain delay cut Jerad Eickhoff’s impressive start short on Sunday at Turner Field, and the Phillies ultimately paid the price, as Jeff Francoeur’s two-run homer in the seventh inning propelled the Braves to a 2-1 win and a series split.

“It was nice,” said Francoeur about his homer. “I got a pitch up in the zone. I put a couple good swings on the first few. The first one, if I’m in Philly, I’ve got a homer. But this was a good win for us. When you have an opportunity to split the series, you want to, but especially when you’ve got [Joel] De La Cruz going 50 pitches.”
Eickhoff picked up right where he left off in his start against the Marlins on Tuesday, allowing no runners to reach base until Jace Peterson broke up the right-hander’s perfect outing with a leadoff single in the fourth inning. Eickhoff didn’t allow the base hit to deter him, however, as he retired five of the next six batters he faced before the rain delay in the middle of the sixth ended his day after just 51 pitches.
“It was definitely unfortunate,” Eickhoff said. “I was looking to get right back out there. I had some quick innings. I think I had a relatively low pitch count. It was frustrating. But you can only control what you can control.”
With Eickhoff out of the game, Atlanta took advantage. Nick Markakis reached base on a one-out single in the seventh before Francoeur hit his seventh home run of the season in the ensuing at-bat to give his team a 2-0 lead. Jimmy Paredes led off the top of the eighth with his third homer of the year, but the Braves held on to improve to 5-8 vs. Philadelphia this year.
With his two-run homer on Sunday, Francoeur notched his fourth home run in his previous 45 at-bats. The blast marked his only hit of the contest, as the outfielder is batting just .196 (9-for-46) with 19 strikeouts over his past 14 games. Despite his average, though, Francoeur’s recent knack for the long ball and his leadership skills could still make him a possible trade target before Monday’s non-waiver Trade Deadline.
“[It was] a big hit,” said Peterson about Francoeur’s homer. “He’s a guy who comes to the clubhouse every day the same guy. He keeps the energy up, and we know in those situations he’s the guy we want at the plate. He’s down 0-2 there, [Andrew Bailey] leaves one over the middle and Frenchy was able to poke it out.”
The Phillies managed just five hits against the Braves, and it was a rough week for the middle of their lineup. Odubel Herrera, Maikel Franco and Tommy Joseph batted 2-3-4 for most of the four-game series, but they hit a combined .149 (7-for-47) with two home runs and six RBIs. They were a combined 2-for-11 on Sunday.
In his first start since July 4 vs. the Phillies, Joel De La Cruz pitched 4 1/3 solid innings, surrendering only three hits and two walks. The Atlanta starter entered the day with an 0-2 record and a 5.25 ERA in his first two Major League starts, but he gave his team exactly what it needed in the wake of Lucas Harrell being traded to the Rangers earlier in the week. Having pitched 2/3 innings of relief on Thursday night, De La Cruz became just the fourth Braves pitcher since 2000 to go at least 4 1/3 shutout innings in a start on two days’ rest or less.
“He did a really good job,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “He was out on the attack and his stuff was live, I thought. [He had] a really good sinker, was on the attack and was very aggressive. He made the most of the opportunity and kind of came up big for us.”
Phillies right-hander Bailey allowed the two-run homer to Francoeur in the seventh. Bailey has a 10.43 ERA (17 earned runs in 14 2/3 innings) in his last 15 appearances after posting a 3.06 ERA in his first 18.
“I’m battling some things, obviously,” Bailey said. “I felt like I made some good pitches that inning. It’s just kind of the way it’s going for me right now. Clearly, I’m struggling. It’s frustrating to be going through this, especially when Eick’s start gets cut short. They needed me to step up and throw a zero. There’s nothing to do but keep working and grinding it out. Got to finish strong for sure.”
Following an off-day on Monday, Atlanta will welcome the Pirates as well as new addition Matt Kemp to Turner Field for a three-game series beginning on Tuesday. Mike Foltynewicz will receive the start for the Braves, looking to rebound from his most recent outing, in which he surrendered a season-high seven runs (six earned) on 12 hits vs. the Twins. First pitch is set for 6:10 p.m. ET.  Thunder Radio will bring you the broadcast as we join the Atlanta Braves Radio Network at 6 PM.

The Nashville Sounds (61-48) racked up 11 hits in a 6-2 win over the New Orleans Zephyrs (50-56) Sunday afternoon at Zephyrs field.

The Sounds got on the board first with a three-run third inning and never looked back. Colin Walsh led off the frame with a solo home run to left, it was only Walsh’s second home run of the year as a Sound. Jaycob Brugman then sent a two-run double to right field scoring Arismendy Alcantara and Tyler Ladendorf to give the Sounds a 3-0 lead in the third.

The Zephyrs then answered back with a lead-off solo home run of their own in the bottom of the third by Isaac Galloway to make it a 3-1 Sounds lead after three.

A two-run homer in the fourth by Matt McBride extended the Sounds lead to 5-1. The two-run shot was McBride’s sixth home run as a Sound. The Sounds catcher plated Joey Wendle who singled to lead off the fourth for the Sounds.

Wendle then roped an RBI double to right in the fifth scoring Chad Pinder from second, who singled then stole second earlier in the inning, to give the Sounds a 6-1 lead.

Sounds Starter Chris Jensen (2-4, 3.76) made just the one mistake in the third inning giving up just his fourth home run as a Sound. Jensen tossed six innings while allowing just the one run on three hits and struck out a batter. The right-hander picked up his second win as a Sound.

Jensen then gave way to Nashville native Andrew Triggs in the seventh inning and Triggs made quick work of the Zephyrs retiring them in order.

Angel Castro then pitched a scoreless eighth and gave up just one run in the ninth on a RBI single by Destin Hood scoring Xavier Scruggs from second.

The Sounds continue their four-game series with the New Orleans Zephyrs Monday night with game three of the series. Nashville will send right-hander Daniel Mengden (3-1, 1.39) and the Zephyrs have yet to announce their starter. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at Zephyr field.

The 2016 season is the Sounds’ 19th year in the Pacific Coast League and their second as the Oakland Athletics’ top affiliate. Tickets are available now by calling (615) 690-4487 or by visiting www.nashvillesounds.com.