PHILADELPHIA -- So much for Adam LaRoche's game-winning homer providing some momentum. By the time the first baseman completed the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park, he was staring across the diamond at a catcher who was posing as a third baseman.

Though it was quite obvious that LaRoche's ninth-inning game-winner served as the most memorable hit for the Braves in the opener, it wasn't as easy to determine which of the 20 hits they surrendered to the Phillies in Game 2 qualified as the most forgettable.

By the time the Phillies took advantage of a rusty Kyle Davies and completed their 16-4 win, manager Bobby Cox had emptied his bench to give his regulars a chance to rest for Sunday's doubleheader, which they can only hope doesn't bring the same drastic wave of emotions.

"It was a little different ballgame from the first one," Cox said. "We just couldn't stop them from the first inning on."

Making his first start since undergoing groin surgery in May, Davies was given the benefit of a two-run first-inning lead created after a sprained right elbow forced Phillies starter Scott Mathieson to exit after just six pitches.

But just as they couldn't capitalize on the emotions created after LaRoche gave them a 4-3 win in the first game, the Braves couldn't take advantage of the situation in the second. After Chipper Jones hit a two-run homer off Eude Brito in the first, the offense went into a relative slumber and was unable to come back from the deficit Davies created during the first three innings.

"He just hit the fat part of the plate a lot," Cox said of Davies, who allowed seven earned runs and 10 hits in just 2 1/3 innings.

There was some thought that Davies' return to the rotation would provide the Braves the boost they needed to climb to the top of the National League Wild Card standings. But his tough return prevented them from gaining ground on the Phillies and kept them at least 3 1/2 games behind the front-running Padres.

"I expected a good ballgame," Cox added of Davies, who was 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA in his final three rehab starts. "Triple-A isn't the Major Leagues, that's for sure. But he had thrown good there. We expected a lot."

But unlike Oscar Villarreal, who minimized the damage caused by two Chase Utley homers in the first game, Davies seemingly couldn't get anybody out. His most impressive phase came when he struck out Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell in succession to end the Phillies' three-run second inning.

But by that time, Howard had registered an RBI double in the first and Jimmy Rollins had highlighted the second inning with a two-run double.

The 22-year-old Davies, who retired just seven of the 17 batters he faced, eluded the media during the postgame session.

"He missed up a little bit," said Brian McCann, who caught the first game and the first six innings of the second. "It was his first start back, and the next start I'm sure he'll be on top of his game."

When Davies returns to the mound on Friday, he certainly can't fare too much worse. His early exit forced the early entrance of the bullpen, which had provided four scoreless innings to preserve the win in the first game. But the relievers weren't as fortunate in the second game. Ken Ray was touched for four runs (two earned) in the fourth inning, and Anthony Lerew surrendered five runs, five hits and three walks in just two innings.

"We played great the first game," Cox said. "The second game, Kyle set the stage, and the pitching just wasn't there today."

When the Phillies matched their previous season-high hit total (19) with Mike Lieberthal's sixth-inning single, the Braves' defense included catcher Brayan Pena at third base and Brian Jordan in center field. With the game already in doubt, Cox gave his regulars a chance to rest before Sunday's doubleheader.

Other than the fact he has himself playing third base on a video game, this was Pena's first time playing third base since high school. But such was the zaniness after the momentum created after LaRoche hit his game-winner off Arthur Rhodes in the opener was stilled.

"We just didn't get the job done tonight," McCann said. "It's frustrating. We just didn't get the job done."