Shortstop Dansby Swanson and pinch hitter Lucas Duda ripped back-to-back doubles in the seventh inning to put Atlanta ahead and send the Braves to an 8-3 win over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday at SunTrust Park.

The Braves added four runs in the eighth inning to put the game away and lower their magic number to win the National League East to four.

In the eighth, Atlanta got a bases-loaded walk from Swanson, sacrifice flies from pinch hitter Charlie Culberson and Ronald Acuna Jr. and an RBI single by Ender Inciarte.

Atlanta (85-68) leads Philadelphia (78-74) by 6 1/2 games. The Braves are 8-5 against the Phillies; the two teams meet six more times over the last two weeks.

The winning pitcher was Jesse Biddle (6-1), who worked two-thirds of an inning. Arodys Vizcaino and Chad Sobotka each threw a perfect inning to finish the game. Sobotka struck out the side in the ninth.

The loss went to Tommy Hunter (4-4), the fourth of seven relievers used by Philadelphia. Hunter worked one-third of an inning and allowed one run on two hits and a walk.

Atlanta starter Kevin Gausman pitched 6 1/3 innings and retired the final 11 batters he faced. He allowed three runs on five hits and two walks. Gausman had seven strikeouts. Since being acquired by the Braves at the trade deadline, Gausman has a 2.80 ERA.

Philadelphia starter Vince Velasquez was tagged for three runs on five hits and one walk in three innings. He fanned three. It was the eighth straight start in which Velasquez has failed to pitch more than five innings.

The Phillies scored a run in the first inning when Rhys Hoskins scored on Carlos Santana's infield grounder.

The Braves took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first. Nick Markakis singled home the first run and the second scored on a double play.

Philadelphia scored twice in the third. Odubel Herrera and Jorge Alfaro each drove in a run with a single.

The Braves tied the game 3-3 with a run in the third via Johan Camargo's sacrifice fly.

--Field Level Media