PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Michael Harris II homered and had three hits as the streaking Atlanta Braves defeated the slumping Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 on Sunday night to complete a three-game sweep of their NL East rivals.
Ozzie Albies hit an RBI double and Austin Riley also drove in a run for the Braves, who have won five in a row and nine of 11. It was Atlanta's first series sweep of at least three games at Philadelphia in 10 years.
Click to Gallery
Atlanta Braves pitcher Grant Holmes throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Philadelphia Phillies' Trea Turner, left, fields a groundout hit by Atlanta Braves' Austin Riley during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Philadelphia Phillies' Kyle Schwarber, right, watches his double off Atlanta Braves pitcher Aaron Bummer during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Atlanta Braves' Ozzie Albies, top left, attempts a double play after a force out of Philadelphia Phillies' Justin Crawford, bottom left, during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Kyle Schwarber went deep for the Phillies, who have lost five straight and 10 of 13. They were outscored 56-33 on a 2-7 homestand against the Diamondbacks, Cubs and Braves, leaving Philadelphia 6 1/2 games behind first-place Atlanta in the division standings.
Raisel Iglesias escaped trouble in the ninth inning for his fifth save. Philadelphia put runners on first and second with one out, but Trea Turner struck out and Schwarber lined out to right field on an excellent running catch by Ronald Acuña Jr.
Tyler Kinley (3-0) pitched a scoreless sixth for the win.
Schwarber’s two-run shot in the first gave Philadelphia a 2-0 lead.
Harris homered leading off the third before the Braves went ahead in the fifth with three runs against rookie starter Andrew Painter (1-1) and lefty reliever Tim Mayza.
Painter was lifted after he opened the inning by allowing singles to Harris and Acuña. Mayza loaded the bases with a walk, and the Braves tied the game on Matt Olson’s groundout. Riley’s dribbler to third went for an RBI infield single, and Albies’ double to the left-field wall made it 4-2.
Riley saved at least one run while ending a Philadelphia threat in the bottom of the fifth with a stellar defensive play at third base.
Braves starter Grant Holmes allowed two runs in 4 2/3 innings.
On a chilly night, Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto sat out after leaving Saturday’s game with lower back tightness.
Braves: Begin a four-game series Monday night at Washington. RHP Bryce Elder (2-1, 0.77 ERA) opposes Nationals RHP Jake Irvin (1-2, 6.16).
Phillies: Open seven-game trip Monday night with the first of four games against the Cubs. RHP Aaron Nola (1-4, 4.03 ERA) faces Chicago RHP Colin Rea (2-0, 3.63).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Atlanta Braves pitcher Grant Holmes throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Philadelphia Phillies' Trea Turner, left, fields a groundout hit by Atlanta Braves' Austin Riley during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Philadelphia Phillies' Kyle Schwarber, right, watches his double off Atlanta Braves pitcher Aaron Bummer during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Atlanta Braves' Ozzie Albies, top left, attempts a double play after a force out of Philadelphia Phillies' Justin Crawford, bottom left, during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Armenians will vote Sunday in parliamentary elections as the incumbent government, under mounting Russian pressure, seeks to loosen ties with Moscow and deepen cooperation with the West.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his ruling Civil Contract party are looking for a strong mandate for a new geopolitical course. The opposition they face includes some parties that are vocally pro-Russian.
Russian officials have hit Armenian exports with a barrage of restrictions in recent weeks, while high-ranking officials, including President Vladimir Putin, have made thinly veiled threats comparing Armenia’s path to that already taken by Ukraine.
Armenian investigators said they issued six arrest warrants for members of the opposition Strong Armenia party the day before the vote, accusing them of buying votes. The nation's Central Election Committee confirmed Saturday that the party could run after a member of another opposition party, Republic, appealed for Strong Armenia to be barred over corruption allegations.
Armenia’s Parliament, the National Assembly, must consist of at least 101 members who are elected for five-year terms. Parties must win at least 4% of the vote to take a seat, while blocs made up of three or more parties must hit 8%.
Two political blocs and 17 parties are taking part in Sunday's election. Most pollsters and experts have predicted Pashinyan, who came to power in 2018 following sweeping street protests, will come out ahead.
“I think Armenians expect, first of all, a peaceful, independent and prosperous Armenia from this election, as we have today,” said Hripsime Grigoryan, a Civil Contract member of the outgoing Parliament.
Pashinyan has spoken on several occasions about the need for a balanced foreign policy ensuring Armenia maintains good relations with the United States, Europe and Russia, as well as regional powers such as Turkey and Iran.
Despite this, Pashinyan has attracted far more enthusiasm in the West than in Moscow. He has been endorsed by several European leaders, as well as U.S. President Donald Trump.
“Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, of Armenia, a great friend and Leader, is making his Country strong, wealthy, and very secure,” Trump wrote on social media, urging Armenians to “Make (Armenia) Great Again.”
This has displeased the Kremlin. Speaking to journalists after Russia’s Victory Day parade on May 9, Putin said if the Armenian people saw benefits in joining the European Union then “we will certainly have nothing to say against it.”
Yet he also reminded reporters, “We are currently living through everything that is happening in respect of Ukraine. And how did it start? It started with Ukraine’s joining or attempting to join the EU.”
Unlike the Civil Contract party, most of Armenia’s opposition supports building stronger relations with Moscow.
The Strong Armenia party seeks to develop business ties with Russia and has accused Pashinyan of attempting to start a war with Moscow. Party leader Samvel Karapetyan is on trial for allegedly advocating for the government's overthrow, which the Armenian-Russian billionaire has rejected as a politically motivated case. He has coordinated the party's campaign while under house arrest, aided by his nephew Narek Karapetyan.
Other potential contenders include former President Robert Kocharyan, who leads the Hayastan bloc and has accused Pashinyan of “seriously undermining” relations with Russia, and the Prosperous Armenia Party led by pro-Russian business owner Gagik Tsarukyan.
These parties also have strongly criticized Pashinyan for attempting to normalize relations with neighboring Azerbaijan. The Armenian leader and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev initialed a document on moving toward a peace deal at the White House alongside U.S. President Donald Trump in August.
The two countries were locked in a decades-long conflict over the fate of Karabakh, a breakaway region that had been controlled for decades by ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia. Azerbaijan took control of the entire Karabakh region during a rapid offensive in 2023.
“I want this government to change because the condition of our country is getting worse,” Sahakyan Elina, a supporter of the Prosperous Armenia Party, told The Associated Press at a rally Thursday. “I don’t want to live with my enemies in unity.”
Russian officials have slapped new restrictions on Armenian produce in the run-up to the parliamentary vote, banning the import of Armenian flowers, certain types of cognac and wine, eggplants, potatoes, dried fruits, fish and more.
Russia says the bans are related to violations of agricultural import rules.
The European Commission on Thursday described the move as “nothing short of economic coercion.”
“By extending export restrictions on Armenian products, Moscow is weaponizing economic relations for political pressure. We know this playbook all too well,” the commission said in a statement.
Moscow also controls a significant portion of Armenia’s energy and infrastructure and supplies it with cheap gas, which is a point that Putin has been quick to drive home in his meetings with Pashinyan.
Putin also has stressed that Armenia cannot join the EU and remain within the Eurasian Economic Union, a Russian-led customs bloc.
“Being in a customs union with the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union is impossible,” Putin said. “It’s simply impossible by definition.”
Katie Marie Davies in Manchester, England. and Sam McNeil in Brussels contributed to this report.
Supporters of Armenia's ruling Civil Contract party led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan gather in Republic Square in Yerevan, Armenia, Friday, June 5, 2026, for the party's final campaign rally ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections. (AP Photo/Anthony Pizzoferrato)
People walk along a street near a campaign advertisement for Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan, Armenia, on Thursday, June 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Anthony Pizzoferrato)
Supporters of Armenia's ruling Civil Contract party leading by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan hold up heart signs while gathering in Republic Square in Yerevan, Armenia, Friday, June 5, 2026, for the party's final campaign rally ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections. (AP Photo/Anthony Pizzoferrato)
FILE - Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan meet at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on April 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov, Pool, File)
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan poses for a selfie photo with a supporter as he walks on Northern Avenue in Yerevan, Armenia, Monday, June 1, 2026, during public celebrations marking International Children's Day. (AP Photo/Anthony Pizzoferrato)
