Braves' Soroka aims to add Phils to his conquests

Braves' Soroka aims to add Phils to his conquests

Mike Soroka last week became the youngest Atlanta pitcher to be named to an All-Star team. On Thursday, the rookie will try to nail down a series win against his team's biggest rival and increase the Braves' momentum headed into the break.

Soroka (9-1, 2.13) will face Philadelphia right-hander Zach Eflin (7-7, 3.34) in the rubber game of the three-game set in Atlanta.

The Phillies won the first game 2-0 on Tuesday thanks to Aaron Nola's eight shutout innings, but the Braves bounced back to club three home runs and win 9-2 on Wednesday. Philadelphia leads the season series 5-3, but Atlanta expanded its lead in the National League East to 5 1/2 games over the second-place Phillies.

Soroka will be 21 years, 339 days old when he appears in the All-Star Game. The former record was held by Hall of Famer John Smoltz, who was 22 years, 57 days old when he appeared in the 1989 game.

Despite his age, Soroka has pitched at a high level all season. In 14 starts, he has allowed more than two runs only twice. He has won nine straight decisions.

"He's just businesslike," Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. "Every game, he's out to win that game, win that inning, win that at-bat. Kind of compartmentalizes things really, really well. Keeps things in really good perspective. He's a really pleasant, really neat kid to be around."

In his last start against the New York Mets on June 28, Soroka pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on seven hits. He showed no ill effects from being hit on the pitching hand and leaving after two innings in his previous start against the Washington Nationals.

Soroka will be facing the Phillies for the first time in his career.

Eflin is coming off a solid effort against the Miami Marlins on June 29, when he pitched six innings and allowed three runs on eight hits but received no decision.

Eflin was 2-2 with a 4.02 ERA in five starts in June, a slight setback after he was 2-2 with a 2.64 ERA in five starts in May. He spent time on the 10-day injured list from May 31 to June 7 with "mid-back tightness."

Philadelphia's Bryce Harper reached a couple of milestones on Wednesday night. He hit his 16th homer of the season, which proved to be the 200th homer and 1,000th RBI of his career. It marked Harper's fourth home run against the Braves this season and the 29th of his career against Atlanta.

"We have zero concerns that at year's end, he is going to be one of the best offensive players in baseball," manager Gabe Kapler said.

The Phillies learned Wednesday that domestic assault charges against center fielder Odubel Herrera had been dropped. Herrera agreed to participate in a 60-day counseling period, but Major League Baseball may still discipline Herrera, whose girlfriend claimed in charges filed on Memorial Day that she had been assaulted at a casino.

The Phillies are not making any comment until MLB has rendered its final decision.

Both teams have one three-game series remaining before the All-Star Game. The Braves host the Marlins this weekend, while the Phillies travel to New York to complete a nine-game road swing.

--Field Level Media