ATLANTA -- Freddie Freemans 30-game hitting streak ended Thursday night when he struck out in the eighth inning of a tie game. That certainly didnt slow the Atlanta Braves as his teammates quickly scored four runs to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-2 in their final homestand in Turner Field.The longest hitting streak in the majors since 2011, when Atlantas Dan Uggla went 33 straight, is over yet the Braves continue winning -- especially against Philadelphia.Moments after Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez (3-5) struck out Freeman, Matt Kemp doubled off the wall in right field. That scored rookie Dansby Swanson, who walked before Freemans at-bat, for a 2-1 lead.Jace Peterson added an RBI single and pinch-hitter Emilio Bonafacio added a two-run single to give the Braves their seventh straight victory over the Phillies, and their 10th win in 11 games.Some guys drive runs in, Atlanta interim manager Brian Snitker said of Kemp, who has 38 RBI and 11 home runs since being traded from San Diego on Aug. 2 to help the Braves average 5.3 runs in that time. Hes just one of them guys you can count on.You kind of feel good about our offense. ... The umpires say, `Play ball, and our guys are expecting to win right now I think. Were going to go out there and win the game somehow.Philadelphias heading home in the other direction. The Phillies lost six of seven games on a road trip on which they were outscored 68-33.Philadelphia starter Jeremy Hellickson, who entered 12-10 with a 3.78 ERA, left with a 1-0 lead after 3 1/3 innings because of a sprained right knee. He hurt himself running the bases as he scored in the third on Odubel Herreras soft hit to left field.Phillys bullpen was fine until Gomez came on in the eighth and gave up four earned runs, hitting a batter, walking two and allowing three hits in 1/3 of an inning.Atlanta tied the game in the sixth on Swansons third home run, his first in Turner Field.Mauricio Cabrera (5-1) became the first Braves rookie reliever since Mike Stanton in 1991 to record at least five wins and five saves (6) when he retired the only batter he faced in the top of the eighth. He induced cleanup hitter Tommy Joseph to line out to left field with a runner at second.Braves started Josh Collmenter, acquired Sept. 14 from the Cubs for cash, allowed one run in seven innings. He earlier appeared in relief in 15 games for the Diamondbacks before Arizona released him.In three starts with the Braves, hes 2-0 with an ERA of 2.37.The whole atmosphere is not that of a club thats in the position were in, he said. Its a laid-back environment and everybodys excited to come here every day. To think that my season was prematurely over a few weeks ago ...TRAINERS ROOMPhiladelphia LF Roman Quinn, who left Tuesdays game against the Braves with a strained oblique after registering hits in his first three at-bats, may be finished. I doubt if hell play the rest of the year, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. Hellicksons knee sprain is not believed serious.TIGER TALESAtlantas final opponent is shuffling. The Tigers will start LHP Daniel Norris (3-3, 3.59) Friday against the Braves after his scheduled Thursday start against the Indians was postponed by foul weather. RHP Jordan Zimmermann was to start Friday against Atlanta, he will instead go Saturday. RHP Justin Verlander will start Sunday for the Tigers, who are chasing a wild card spot in the American League.BETTER LATE THAN NEVERWhile surging late in the season to counter a dreadful first half, Atlanta has won 19 games in the last at-bat, the most in the National League.UP NEXTPhillies: Philadelphia returns home for a day off and then will close the season with two games against the Mets.Braves: RHP Matt Wisler (7-12, 4.86) will make his final start Friday. It will be his first against visiting Detroit.Robert Covington Jersey . 4 Villanova with a 96-68 drubbing on Monday. Wragge hit 9-of-14 from behind the arc, matching Kyle Korvers school record for 3-pointers in a game set in 2003, as Creighton (16-3, 6-1 Big East broke a conference record with 21 treys in the rout. Norvel Pelle Jersey . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. https://www.cheap76ers.com/ . Andreas Johnson had a goal and two assists while Jacob de la Rose also scored for Sweden (2-0-0). Esa Lindell and Rasmus Ristolainen replied for Finland (1-1-0) Lindell opened the scoring for Finland just 41 seconds into the game, but the hosts quickly regained their composure and tied the score less than four minutes later on Wennbergs first of the game. Philadelphia 76ers Shirts . Pierce was ejected in the third quarter of Indianas 103-86 win Monday. George Hill stole a bad pass and was going in for a layup, and Pierce hustled back and appeared to be trying to wrap him up. Hal Greer Jersey . After dropping their final six games of December, the Wild opened the new calendar year with four consecutive wins. Following a loss to Colorado on Saturday, Minnesota rebounded the following night to blank Nashville 4-0, but then had the tables turned on them Tuesday.TORONTO -- MVP: Most Versatile Pitcher.The humble workhorse in a wipeout bullpen, Andrew Miller was selected AL Championship Series MVP after his latest spotless outing sent the Cleveland Indians to their first pennant since 1997.Miller tossed 2 2/3 innings in a 3-0 victory Wednesday over Toronto, capping a five-game series in which the lanky left-hander overpowered the dangerous Blue Jays.He had one strikeout in Game 5 and finished the series with 14 -- an ALCS record for a reliever. Miller gave up three hits in 7 2/3 shutout innings against Toronto and earned a four-out save in Game 3.At this point of the year, you just find a way. Thats all that matters. Its about winning, Miller said . I would have given up 100 runs if we won 101-100. Thats all that matters is were going to the World Series, and thats a special experience and I cant wait.After capturing their sixth pennant, thanks in large part to Miller, the Indians are four wins from their first championship since 1948.Miller was acquired from the New York Yankees for a package of prospects in a July 31 trade, and Cleveland had an interesting idea of how to feature him. Rather than restricting him to a closer role or using him only in the eighth inning, the Indians have been flexible with Miller -- especially in the postseason.Its so fun to be a part of this team, he said. I really enjoyed my time with the Yankees. Its tough when you leave a comfort zone and a place that you like and people that you like. But I knew I was coming to a team that had won a lot and had expectations to win more.Now, whenever the Indians have a lead in the middle innings, the 6-foot-7 lefty begins looming large in the bullpen -- and Miller time is near.With that nasty slider and a sizzling fastball he spots to both sides of the plate, he struck out 21 of 41 batters during the AL playoffs. He has allowed a mere six hits over 20 scoreless innings in his postseason career.Drafted sixth overall by Detroit out of North Carolina in 2006, Miller was part of the blockbuster deal that sent Miguel Cabrera from the Marlins to the Tigers after the 2007 season. Milller made 66 starts in the majors but never fulfilled his promise until switching to the bullpen.dddddddddddd His first full season as a reliever (with Boston in 2012) provided a hint of what was possible.Miller posted a 3.35 ERA in 53 appearances that year, and the following season he dominated hitters with 48 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings.After stops with Baltimore and the Yankees, Miller ended up in Cleveland, and the Indians had an unorthodox plan for his usage.When they were upstairs in their meetings about the trade talks and they were talking about Andrew, they were actually talking -- and I was in there listening and doing some talking -- just about how he would fit into a bullpen and how you could leverage him, just like we are now, manager Terry Francona said recently. So the thought was alive before we got him. We envisioned using him like we are.There are plenty of other important contributors in the Cleveland bullpen, particularly closer Cody Allen, who had 32 saves during the regular season and hasnt allowed a run in the postseason.In fact, Indians relievers racked up 22 innings in the ALCS -- the same amount as their starters.But its Miller who strikes the most fear in opposing hitters after he whiffed a whopping 14.9 per nine innings this season while going 10-1 with a 1.45 ERA and 12 saves.In the playoff opener against Boston, Miller entered in the fifth inning and pitched into the seventh. That set the tone for an October in which Miller could be available pretty much any time the Indians need him.Miller has tossed 11 2/3 shutout innings in six postseason appearances. Its a workload that might not be sustainable in the regular season, but with off days built into the playoff schedule, this approach has served the Indians well.All that matters are outs. All that matters are wins. It honestly does not matter how we get there, Miller said. And I think top to bottom, this team believes in that.---Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister ' ' '
