PHILADEPHIA _ Odubel Herrera flipped his bat and watched his home run race toward center field on Sunday afternoon in a 5-2 win over Atlanta. It was the perfect exclamation point to a perfect inning on a perfect weekend.
Herrera's homer followed homers by Cesar Hernandez and Aaron Altherr as the Phillies went back-to-back-to-back for the first time since 2008. It completed the team's first sweep of the season and pushed them back to .500 for the first time since the second day of the season.
Hernandez hit a two-run homer to break a 1-1 tie. Altherr added insurance, and Herrera added flair.
Starter Zach Eflin kept the Phillies in it with seven strong innings. He allowed just one run, struck out three, and walked none. His lone run was a homer by Matt Kemp. He retired the first 10 batters he faced and threw 89 pitches, 61 of which were strikes. He had surgery on both knees this offseason to alleviate pain he has felt all his life. It appears to have made a difference.
The three homers gave the Phillies a four-run lead for Hector Neris to protect in the ninth. He made it interesting, allowing a run and loading the bases with just one out. But the pitcher managed to escape and seal the win. Neris forced Dansby Swanson to pop up and Tyler Flowers to ground out.
Altherr's homer was his fourth RBI this week as he excels in Howie Kendrick's absence. The Phillies expect to miss Kendrick for two or three more weeks. Altherr, who started the season as an extra outfielder, is making his case for a more steady role.
Freddy Galvis tied the game at 1 with a single in the seventh. Daniel Nava, who reached base three times, scored the run from second after singling and moving to second on a single by Brock Stassi.
Pat Neshek and Joely Rodriguez paired to keep the game tied with a scoreless eighth. Rodriguez retired both batters he faced, stranding an inherited runner on third with an inning-ending strikeout. The left-hander has not allowed a run in his last five appearances after being gashed for seven runs in his first four games.
