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Brandon Workman takes loss as bullpen woes continue for Phillies

ATLANTA -- It might have been a new member of the bullpen on the mound, but it was the same old story for the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night.

Adam Duvall and the Atlanta Braves spoiled Brandon Workman's debut with Philadelphia, rallying for a 6-5 win over the sliding Phillies, who added Workman and fellow relievers Heath Hembree and David Hale via a pair of trades on Friday.

Workman, acquired in a trade with Boston, entered with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth inning. He promptly surrendered a two-run double to Matt Adams, which lifted the Braves to a 5-4 lead.

After Bryce Harper hit a tying sacrifice fly in the ninth, the Braves handed Workman (0-1) a loss in the bottom half. With two outs and the bases loaded, Duvall ended the game with a single back up the middle.

It was a sadly familiar script for Philadelphia's bullpen, which began the night ranked last in the majors with a 7.59 ERA. This time, there was a new lead role by Workman.

"That's not the first impression I'm trying to make, obviously,'' Workman said after allowing four hits and one run in 1 1/3 innings.

On the play before Duvall's hit, the winning run was wiped out by a video review. Shortstop Didi Gregorius threw home on Travis d'Arnaud's grounder. Umpire Chad Whitson called pinch runner Alex Jackson safe before a review showed catcher J.T. Realmuto tagged the plate.

Harper also hit the second-longest homer of his career in the first inning of the Phillies' fifth consecutive loss. His sacrifice fly in the ninth drove in Neil Walker, who slid in safely despite a strong throw by rookie left fielder Cristian Pache.

It was the first blown lead in five tries for Braves closer Mark Melancon.

Hector Neris, whose role as Philadelphia's closer is in question, gave up two hits, including a run-scoring single by Marcell Ozuna, and a walk to open the eighth.

Adams' double down the left-field line drove in Freddie Freeman and Ozuna, who scored the go-ahead run from first.

The Phillies' slumping bullpen wasted a strong start by Zack Wheeler, who allowed two runs in seven innings.

Harper's two-run shot off Robbie Erlin in the first traveled an estimated 470 feet, landing deep in the seats in right-center. The homer, Harper's seventh, drove in Rhys Hoskins, who walked.

It was the second-longest homer at Truist Park, which was known as SunTrust Park when it opened in 2017. The New York Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton hit a 477-foot homer off R.A. Dickey on Aug. 4, 2017.

It also was Harper's second-longest homer, as tracked by Statcast. While with Washington, Harper hit a 473-foot homer off the Phillies' Nick Pivetta on May 4, 2018, at Nationals Park.

Wheeler allowed five hits and set a season high with eight strikeouts before the bullpen left him with a no-decision.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.