PHILADELPHIA -- Ryan Howard is hitting all the homers he can to keep Philadelphia in the playoff picture, trying to overcome bullpen breakdowns and late-inning mistakes.
Atlanta kept Howard from going deep in the second game, winning 3-1 in 11 innings after scoring the go-ahead run on catcher Carlos Ruiz's throwing error. The Phillies, who won Saturday's nightcap, dropped to 1½ games back of San Diego, the NL wild-card leader while the Braves fell five games behind the Padres.
"It was a good game, a good day, for me, I would guess," Howard said. "I just wanted to keep going out and having good ABs and have a good swing."
After going 4-for-4 with four RBI in the opener, he was 2-for-4 with a walk in the second game.
Geoff Geary (7-1), who got the win in the first game, allowed Scott Thorman's double leading off the 11th in the second game. Ruiz threw Scott Orr's sacrifice bunt into left field, allowing pinch-runner Tony Pena to score, and Orr scored on Geary's wild pitch.
Chad Paronto (2-2) pitched a scoreless 10th and Bob Wickman, who blew a save chance in the opener, pitched the 11th for his 12th save.
With the Phillies bullpen blowing late leads without closer Tom Gordon, Brett Myers stayed in for eight innings, striking out 10 and allowing three hits. He gave up Orr's RBI single in the third.
Pat Burrell's sacrifice fly in the fourth was the only run off starter Lance Cormier, who gave up three hits in a career-high seven innings. Philadelphia had two on in the eighth, but Macay McBride fanned Chase Utley.
"Cormier was outstanding," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "That's a tough hitting lineup and he gave them nothing."
Notes
- Phillies C Mike Lieberthal left the second game because of back spasms.
