PHILADELPHIA >> Backup catcher Rafael Marchán hit a two-run homer, drove in the go-ahead run when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the eighth inning and caught two runners stealing, helping the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 5-4 in in a doubleheader opener Thursday.

Phillies star Bryce Harper was did not play in the opener and was not in the starting lineup for the second game, two days after he was hit on the right elbow by a 95.3 mph pitch from Spencer Strider. The NL East-leading Phillies won for the 23rd time 29 games and dealt the Braves their sixth loss in seven games.

Jordan Romano walked three and allowed a single in the ninth before Eli White took a slider on the low, outside corner for a game-ending called third strike, giving the closer his eighth save in 10 chances.

Marchán put the Phillies ahead 2-0 in the third scored with a headfirst slide on Trea Turner’s fifth-inning infield single. He was nicked on a shin protector by a bounced slider from Daysbel Hernández (3-1).

Marchán threw out Fairchild for the final out of the fourth and Ozzie Albies for the first out of the ninth, both on attempts to steal second.

José Ruiz (1-0) retired Nick Allen on a groundout to strand a runner on second in the eighth.

Sean Murphy homered and had an RBI single, and Ronald Acuña Jr. had a pair of hits and an RBI for the Braves. Acuña entered in the fourth after Fairchild appeared to hurt a finger on his right hand during a slide.

Braves starter A.J. Smith-Shawver left with a strained right elbow in the third, one batter after taking a 96.6 mph line drive off his right ankle, a ball hit by Bryson Stott. The 22-year-old right-hander appeared to say “pop” toward Brian Snitker, and the manager said: “It doesn’t look good.”

Braves 9, Phillies 3 (2nd game) >> Chris Sale became the fastest pitcher to reach 2,500 strikeouts, pitched six scoreless innings and the Atlanta Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 9-3 on Thursday night to split a doubleheader.

Sale (3-3) struck out Edmundo Sosa in the sixth inning for his eighth strikeout, to reach the milestone. He did it in 2,026 innings, surpassing the record of 2,107 2/3 set by Randy Johnson.

Sale became the 40th pitcher in major league history to reach 2.500 strikeouts and joined Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer as the only active pitchers to have reached that plateau.

Sosa was the last hitter Sale faced. He allowed just two hits in six shutout innings.

Austin Riley had a double, a homer, and four RBIs, Ozzie Albies homered and drove in three, and Luke Williams had a pair of RBIs for the Braves, who snapped a three-game losing skid.

Zack Wheeler (6-2) allowed six runs in 5 1/3 innings for the Phillies, who lost for just the second time in their last 13 games.

After the game, the Phillies acquired left-hander Josh Walker from Toronto for cash considerations. Walker goes on the Phillies’ 40-man roster, but will be assigned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Blue Jays 12, Athletics 0 >> Ernie Clement homered and had five RBIs, Bo Bichette homered and drove in three runs, and the Toronto Blue Jays used an eight-run second inning to rout the struggling Athletics 12-0 on Thursday night.

José Berríos (2-2) and two relievers combined on a four-hitter as the Blue Jays recorded their second straight shutout and fourth of the season. All four have come since May 20.

The Athletics have lost three straight and 14 of 15, getting outscored 117-44 in that span.

The A’s have been outscored by 101 total runs this season. They’ve lost by 10 or more runs an MLB-worst seven times.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run homer and George Springer added a solo shot for Toronto. Alejandro Kirk reached base four times, scored twice and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

The A’s have allowed at least one home run in 11 consecutive games, giving up 25 total homers in that span. Athletics opponents have hit 84 home runs this season.

Berríos struck out nine in six innings to win for the first time since April 7 at Boston.

Athletics left-hander Jacob Lopez (0-3) allowed seven runs and six hits in 1 2/3 innings, his third straight losing start.

Position player Willie MacIver handled the final inning for the A’s, throwing pitches that averaged around 40 mph.

The Athletics have lost 12 of their past 16 games in Toronto, dating to 2019. They’re 9-24 there since 2014.