Philadelphia's 3 straight homers lead Phillies to third straight victory over Atlanta Braves

Cesar Hernandez stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning with a runner on second in a tie game. Philadelphia Phillies manager Pete Mackanin gave him one instruction: move the runner.

Hernandez certainly did that when he took Atlanta Braves reliever Arodys Vizcaino deep for the go-ahead two-run homer.

Aaron Altherr and Odubel Herrera followed Hernandez with solo shots to give the Phillies (9-9) a commanding 5-1 lead that they wouldn't relinquish in the 5-2 victory over the Braves on Sunday.

"What can you say about the back-to-back-to-back home runs," Mackanin said. "I told Caesar when he went up to the plate. Just make sure you hit the ball up the middle ... try to get a base hit and move the runner. He did move the runner."

Dingers for days.#HailCésar: https://t.co/m02MEyD6MV#FreshPrinceOfAltherr: https://t.co/sA6dr7PVJe#ElTorito: https://t.co/8F5o6GIUn2 pic.twitter.com/cIKEREObMd

— Phillies (@Phillies) April 23, 2017

It seemed like Matt Kemp's first-pitch home run in the top of the seventh inning, his third of the season, was all the Braves (6-12) and starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz would need, but the Phillies rallied in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game at 1-1.

After Atlanta's Ender Inciarte robbed Maikel Franco of a single to start the bottom of the seventh inning, Daniel Nava's single with one out in the bottom of the seventh started the Phillies rally. Brock Stassi pulled a ball through a hole on the right side of the infield to move Nava into scoring position and shortstop Freddy Galvis singled Nava home in the next at bat to tie the game 1-1.

In his second start of the season, Phillies right-hander Zach Eflin stifled the Braves, scattering just three hits over seven innings while allowing one earned run on the aforementioned Kemp homer. Despite the strong outing, Eflin left the game without a decision when he was lifted for Pat Neshek in the top of the eighth inning.

Joely Rodriguez, who has struggled early in the season for the Phillies, was able to get the final two outs of the eighth inning after Neshek allowed Dansby Swanson to get aboard. Rodriguez picked up his first win of the 2017 season and Hector Neris closed things out in the top of the ninth despite allowing a run.

Rodriguez's ability, as a left-handed reliever, to get key outs late in games has made an impression on Mackanin.

"Joely Rodriguez has really stepped up and done a great job for us," Mackanin said. "We originally considered him as more of a long guy but he's starting to prove to me that he can get big outs for us late in the game against certain hitters and he got a couple of big outs with Inciarte and Phillips."

Foltynewicz's tremendous outing wasn't enough to get the Braves a win. He finished with nine strikeouts while allowing four hits and one run over seven innings but left the game with a no-decision and is still searching for his first win of the season.

"It might've been the best one of his major league career," Braves manager Brian Snitker said of his starter. "He was on the attack he was throwing all of his pitches for strikes. He was really good."

The game got away from the Braves in the blink of an eye when Vizcaino entered the game in the eighth inning.

"It didn't take long," Snitker said. "Three hitters, four hitters. ... He's a guy that throws hard. Those guys aren't typically going to locate that great. I think even the first guy he threw right down into his swing path. It just wasn't his day."

Despite trailing 5-1 going into the ninth inning, the Braves were able to get within striking distance of the Phillies when Neris loaded the bases.

"It's what we do," Snitker said. "It didn't deflate them too bad. Just again, hit away. If Tyler (Flowers) hits one out there, we win the game. That's the thing I respect so much about those guys in that room, they never quit.

"Eventually this thing is going to turn and we're going to be on the other end of that thing. You've got to handle something like this in order for something good to happen on the back end."

NOTES: The Phillies and Braves are both back in action on Tuesday night. The Phillies will host the Marlins, while the Braves will head up to New York to open a series with the Mets. ... RHP Zach Eflin made just his second start of the season for Philadelphia after Clay Buchholz was placed on the disabled list. ... Braves 2B Brandon Phillips extended his hit streak to 10 games with a single in the fourth inning. ... The Braves have now lost six consecutive games following the conclusion of their five- game winning streak.