Braves rally past Phillies 5-3 behind Riley's eighth-inning homer in wild-card opener
Atlanta is one win from advancing in the best-of-three National League Wild Card Series after erasing a one-run deficit against Philadelphia's closer.
What we know
- The Atlanta Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 at Truist Park in Game 1 of the best-of-three NL Wild Card Series and lead the series 1-0. [1] [2]
- Austin Riley hit a three-run homer off Phillies closer Jhoan Duran in the eighth inning to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 5-3 lead. [2]
- Dylan Lee got the win, Raisel Iglesias earned the save, and Duran took the loss. [1]
- Game 2 is Wednesday, and the Braves can clinch the series with a win. [2]
The Atlanta Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 on Tuesday in the opener of the National League Wild Card Series and can clinch the best-of-three set with a win Wednesday, according to The Associated Press. [1][2]
Atlanta's Austin Riley hit a three-run homer off Phillies closer Jhoan Duran in the eighth inning, the decisive blow after Philadelphia had gone ahead 3-2 in the seventh. Riley hit .219 with 19 home runs in the regular season, the AP reported. "Especially knowing how my season was not the way I wanted it, that's why the postseason is a clean slate," Riley said. [2]
The rally began when Michael Harris II singled against Duran, who then hit Ozzie Albies with a pitch. Harris finished with three hits. The AP said Duran, an All-Star, had allowed only two home runs in 61 regular-season games. Duran, who took the loss, entered in the seventh inning. [1][2]
Philadelphia scored first, on an Alec Bohm double in the first inning. Albies hit a tiebreaking triple off reliever Alex McFarlane in the sixth for a 2-1 Atlanta lead, according to the AP. J.T. Realmuto put Philadelphia ahead 3-2 with a two-run triple in the seventh, which the AP said came off right-hander Didier Fuentes after Sale hit a batter and gave up a single. [2]
Phillies left-hander Jesus Luzardo allowed one run on three hits with six strikeouts over five innings and threw 77 pitches. Interim manager Don Mattingly had expected a shorter outing. Sale allowed three runs, and Dylan Lee pitched a scoreless eighth before Iglesias closed out the ninth. [1][2]
The announced crowd was 30,127, with empty seats visible around Truist Park, the AP reported. Game 2 is scheduled to feature Braves right-hander Tyler Mahle against Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sánchez. [2]