Howard's power stroke returns as Phillies take 2 of 3 from Braves

Is the Big Piece a Big Tease?

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard has been written off more than a billionaire's tax exemptions. And while nobody is claiming he will ever recapture his MVP form, Howard is known to go on a brief tear that shows there may be something left.

After the roughest of starts this season, the 35-year-old first baseman is slowly starting to come around. Howard hit a three-run homer in the first inning Sunday and then had nothing to show for three hard-hit outs in a 5-4 win over the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies (7-12) won two of three, the second series they have captured in this young season.

Howard has hit home runs on consecutive days. All three of his homers have been in the last five games.

In his first 11 games, Howard batted .175 with a .464 OPS and two RBIs along with 15 strikeouts. During the last five games he is just 4 for 17, but as Sunday showed, he hit into some tough outs. During that span he has driven in seven runs.

Now the Phillies will begin a four-game series in his hometown of St. Louis, a team Howard has routinely scorched. In 57 career games against the Cardinals, he is hitting .362 with 19 home runs and 60 RBIs.

"I have been feeling like I have been swinging well," said Howard, who has 49 career homers against Atlanta. "The results may not necessarily show, but it is all about how you are feeling about the swing, and eventually they are going to start to fall."

Howard's story has been well documented, beginning with his Achilles injury in the 2011 playoffs. He hasn't been the same since, although Howard insists he is now healthy and feeling good.

The Phillies have had no success attempting to trade Howard, with his albatross of a contract (two years and $60 million remaining) standing in the way.

So the team is trying to make the best of things, and so is Howard. Those first 11 games had many suggesting he was through, a theory that has been echoed in the past.

After the Braves took a 2-0 lead on a two-run single by Jace Peterson off righthander Jerome Williams in the first inning, Howard blasted a 3-2 Trevor Cahill change-up to right field in the bottom of the inning with Odubel Herrera and Chase Utley aboard.

"Today was key for him, off Cahill, to lay off some breaking stuff down in the dirt, and he made him come to him with strikes," manager Ryne Sandberg said. "I think Howard is a guy who can hit the ball when it is in the zone. He is in a good groove, making good progress."

Atlanta tied it in the third inning on consecutive doubles by Freddie Freeman and Kelly Johnson, but the Phillies took a 4-3 lead in the fifth on an RBI triple by Ben Revere, who leads the NL with three triples.

The Phillies added a run in the seventh when Herrera reached base on first baseman Freeman's errant throw to pitcher Ian Thomas covering the bag. That scored Freddy Galvis, who went 3 for 3.

Braves pinch-hitter Alberto Callaspo hit a one-out, solo home run to right in the ninth off closer Jonathan Papelbon, the first run Papelbon has allowed this year. Papelbon ended matters when Johnson flew out to deep left field with runners on first and second.

Now the Phillies begin a 10-game road trip, and Howard will be out to show these last five games have not been a mirage.

49

Ryan Howard's career homers vs. the Braves.

337

His home run total,

99th all-time.

.362

His career batting average vs. the Cardinals, who play the Phillies next.

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