¡Explosión de Poder! Orlando Arcia Impone su Fuerza con un Jonrón Doble Contra Filadelfia” (Translation: “Power Explosion! Orlando Arcia Imposes His Strength with a Double Homer Against Philadelphia”)

Venezuelan Orlando Arcia hit a pair of solo homers, the first of which was part of a two-run home run off Sean Murphy in the third inning, and the Atlanta Braves defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 7-2 yesterday.

While it seems highly likely that both teams will advance to the playoffs, split wins in the first two games of this weekend’s four-game series have left the Braves just five away from catching the Phillies, leaders of the American League East Division.

There are 27 games left in this regular season.

Dominican Reynaldo López (8-4) won his second straight start and appears to have rebounded from a lackluster 0-3 June. He allowed one run and four hits over six innings, striking out six of them.

Bryce Harper hit a pair of doubles off Lopez, for his 33rd of the season. He also hit a single, with a black orthopedic sleeve on his right arm.

Harper, a two-time National League Most Valuable Player, said before the game that he had wrist and elbow ailments.

Venezuelan Ranger Suárez (11-6) struck out his first five opponents in his second start after missing more than a month due to lower back problems. But Arcia hit his 14th home run of the year in the third inning and Murphy hit his eighth home run of the season to make the score 2-0.

For the Braves, Jorge Soler of Cuba 3-0. The Dominicans Marcell Ozuna 2-for-5 with two runs scored, Ramón Laureano 0-for-4 with one RBI. Venezuelan Arcia is 3-2 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Colombia’s Gio Urshela went 1 for 4 with an RBI.

For the Phillies, Panamanian Edmundo Sosa 0-4. Dominican Johan Rojas 3-0.

|| AP