Chipper Jones is some kind of amazing.
With two outs in the ninth, Chipper launched a Jonathan Papelbon fastball deep into the Atlanta night to complete another amazing comeback, dropping the Phillies 8-7.
Hear Braves radio announcer Jim Powell declare "it is party time in Atlanta:"
The win capped off what was a miserable outing for Paul Maholm. With one on and one out in the first, Chase Utley hit a double that glanced off Freddie Freeman's glove. Ryan Howard doubled home both runners before Ty Wigginton walked and John Mayberry singled to load the bases. Friday's nemesis Erik Kratz then hit a bases-clearing double to right. The Phillies batted around in the first inning and plated five runs.
How did Atlanta do in the first inning? Michael Bourn singled and Chipper Jones reached on a throwing error but with one out, Freddie Freeman and David Ross both struck out swinging, continuing the team's futility with runners in scoring position. Although, Jason Heyward and Reed Johnson both doubled off Cole Hamels for Atlanta's first run in the second inning.
Maholm, though, was not long for the rest of the game. A leadoff walk in the third and a John Mayberry double meant the end of the day for Maholm, who gave up six hits. The day only got worse as Cristhian Martinez gave up a bases-loaded two-run double to Hamels later that inning, making the score 7-1.
In the sixth following a Freeman single and a Heyward double, Reed Johnson singled home both of them to cut the Phillies lead to four. Hamels struck out six in six innings of work.
Martinez and four other Atlanta relievers held the Phillies to just three hits the rest of the way, none after the fifth inning. Six of the nine Phillies hits were doubles.
The bottom of the ninth started with Jason Heyward flying out to center, but Reed Johnson followed with a single to left, his third hit of the game, against Jeremy Horst. Paul Janish then walked before Papelbon was summoned from the Phillies bullpen. He struck out the debuting Lyle Overbay, but then Michael Bourn coaxed a walk to load the bases. Martin Prado stepped in against the closer and with two strikes, lined a pitch off Kevin Frandsen for what was ruled a double to score two. Then it was Chipper Jones time.
On a 1-1 pitch, boom, home run, game over. The crowd goes nuts as the Braves score five in the ninth to avoid the sweep.
Peter Moylan picked up the win in relief.