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Atlanta Braves top Phillies with 5-run rally, can clinch NL East with Saturday victory

The Braves (magic number: 2) will send ace Mike Foltynewicz to the mound, with the intent of clinching the club's first playoff berth since 2013.

ATLANTA–Got any plans for the 1 o'clock hour on Saturday?

If not, you might want to check out the scene around SunTrust Park during the hours of 1 and 5 p.m.

During that time, the Atlanta Braves (86-68 ... 7 1/2-game lead) will be vying for the National League East title ... and their first playoff berth since 2013.

On Friday, Atlanta took one giant step toward the division crown by rallying for a 6-5 victory over Philadelphia, slicing the club's magic number to two.

The Phillies seemed like certain bets to win and subsequently delay the Braves' plans for popping the champagne cork over the next 48 hours, breaking a 1-all tie with three runs in the 7th.

But it merely served as a much-needed kick-start for the Braves, who roared back with five runs in the same inning.

From there, Atlanta's typically shaky bullpen was surprisingly sound, allowing just one run and two hits over the final two frames.

About that seventh inning ... there was no shortage of momentum-swinging action:

**Tyler Flowers led off with a single.

**Ozzie Albies followed that up with a two-run blast off Phillies reliever Chad Sobotka, cutting the deficit to 4-3.

**With Dansby Swanson (walk) and pinch-runner Lane Adams (via Lucas Duda's single) on base, Ronald Acuna Jr. grounded into a fielder's choice on the left side of the field ... with Swanson getting called out at third on a bang-bang play.

For that brief momentum, it felt like the Phillies had recaptured the mojo; but that wasn't really the case.

**The hot-hitting Ender Inciarte produced an RBI double, scoring Adams.

**After a Freddie Freeman walk (intentional) and Nick Markakis strikeout, Johan Camargo approached the plate for arguably his biggest at-bat of the season.

On the seventh pitch, Camargo laced an 84-mph changeup from Pat Neshek to the outfield, driving home Acuna and Inciarte on the RBI single.

And with that, the crowd at SunTrust Park had reached a fever pitch, perhaps sensing that Atlanta's five-run inning might become the deciding blow for this pennant race.

Braves starter Julio Teheran posted a decent outing, surrendering four runs and five hits over 6 1/3 innings. Prior to Philly's explosion in the 7th, Teheran was essentially matching Philly's Nick Pivetta, shot-for-shot, on the mound.

On Saturday, Braves ace Mike Foltynewicz (11-10, 2.90 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 188/65 K-BB) will draw the start, after moving up one day in the rotation.

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