Brian McCann homered and had two hits to lift the visiting Atlanta Braves to an easy 9-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday in the opener of a three-game series.

Ronald Acuna Jr. added two hits and three RBIs for the Braves.

Braves starter Mike Soroka was lifted after throwing 88 pitches in 4 2/3 innings. He gave up eight hits and one run.

Sean Newcomb (4-1) earned the win in relief for Atlanta, who had lost six of eight entering this series.

Jean Segura paced the Phillies with three hits, including a homer. Scott Kingery, Cesar Hernandez and Adam Haseley added two hits each for the Phillies, who had won five of six.

Phillies starter Jake Arrieta (8-8) tossed five innings and allowed five hits and five runs, four earned.

The Braves took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Freddie Freeman singled home Acuna. Freeman extended his hitting streak to seven games.

Philadelphia had runners at first and third with one out in the fourth, but Maikel Franco grounded to third for an inning-ending double play.

McCann led off the fifth with a towering solo homer in the second deck in right for a 2-0 advantage. It was McCann's 14th career home run at Citizens Bank Park and his 24th all-time against the Phillies.

Acuna followed in the inning with a two-run single to center, and Ozzie Albies added an RBI double for a 5-0 lead.

The Phillies scored in the fifth on Bryce Harper's RBI single to right with two outs to get within 5-1. J.T. Realmuto came up with the bases loaded and two outs and grounded out to second.

The Braves tacked on four more runs in the sixth, including two bases-loaded walks off Cole Irvin -- to Acuna and Albies - before Freeman's sacrifice fly made it 9-1.

Segura's solo shot in the seventh cut the lead to 9-2.

--Field Level Media