ATLANTA _ Brandon Phillips waived his no-trade clause in order to join his hometown team this season. That decision is working out nicely for Phillips and the Braves.
Phillips' go-ahead home run in the third inning sent the Braves on their way to a 3-1 victory over the Brewers on Saturday at SunTrust Park. It was the third consecutive game with a homer for the Stone Mountain native.
The Braves (36-38) won their fourth consecutive game and are 9-3 since losing three in a row to the Mets. They improved to 20-19 at home, the first time they've been above .500 at the new ballpark since they were 5-4 there following a victory over the Mets on May 2.
The Braves improved to 7-2 on the homestand that concludes Sunday against the Brewers (40-37). Phillips, acquired by the Braves in a trade with the Reds, has a lot to do with it.
Phillips beat the Marlins with walk-off hits in consecutive games last weekend. His leadoff home run against the Giants on Thursday started an eight-run inning during what turned into a one-run Braves victory. Phillips had two RBIs, including a solo homer, against the Brewers on Friday night in another one-run victory.
Phillips' latest homer broke a 1-1 tie in the third inning. Brewers right-hander Matt Garza left a 2-1 slider over the plate, and Phillips smashed it 390 feet and over the left-field wall.
The Braves couldn't generate much more offense against Garza. They didn't need it with knuckleballer R.A. Dickey turning in his second consecutive start in which he pitched seven innings and allowed no runs.
Dickey limited the Brewers to five hits (four singles) with one walk and six strikeouts. The Brewers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but Dickey limited the damage after they loaded the bases with one out.
Keon Broxton led off with a single, Domingo Santana hit one with one out, and Travis Shaw walked. Dickey got Hernan Perez to hit a ground ball to shortstop Dansby Swanson, who threw out Santana at third base as Broxton scored.
A balk called against Dickey put runners at second and third with two outs. With Dickey on the rubber, Milwaukee's Travis Shaw broke from second to third base. Dickey stepped off the mound to throw to third baseman Johan Camargo, but Dickey's move was ruled a balk.
Dickey struck out Jett Bandy to end the threat. The Braves tied the score on Tyler Flowers' RBI single in the bottom of the first.
