Phillies implored to keep fighting in team meeting

ATLANTA — The visitors’ clubhouse door opened Wednesday night at Turner Field and Phillies manager Pete Mackanin unexpectedly emerged, still in his uniform.

Mackanin and every big league manager conducts postgame interviews on the road in the manager’s office, but Mackanin changed locations to the service level following a 12-2 loss to the Braves because Ryan Howard and A.J. Ellis had called a players-only meeting.

“It’s nice to see,” Mackanin said. “Somebody cares. It’s good. It’s a good thing.”

The Phillies have struggled in the past six games, going 1-5 and allowing a combined 63 runs. They suffered their worst shutout loss since 1883 on Sunday against the Mets at Citi Field, 17-0. They blew a big lead Monday in a 7-6 loss and fell behind early and never recovered on Wednesday.

Phillies right-hander Frank Herrmann snapped a dubious streak in the seventh inning when he pitched two-thirds scoreless inning. Before that, 12 consecutive Phillies relievers to make an appearance had allowed at least …

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