Two home run exchanges between the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies have set up an NLDS matchup where the Braves’ rotation choices may determine how far they go in October.
The Braves secured their victory in the opening contest, rallying from a 3-2 deficit in the eighth frame. Third baseman Austin Riley stepped into the batter’s box with the bases empty and homered off closer Jhoan Duran, putting Atlanta ahead at 5-3. The win gave Atlanta a 1-0 edge in the series, with reliever Raisel Iglesias securing the final outs.
Game two was a much wilder contest. The score stood even at one when Bryce Harper misjudged a routine fly ball to right field in the seventh inning, letting a run come in and setting up another on a sacrifice fly. Kyle Schwarber then sent one deep to put the visitors ahead at 3-2. Harper responded with his own homer to even things at 3. Alec Bohm pushed the lead again in the 10th, and Andrew Painter sealed the win with the save for Philadelphia.
Thursday night brought division rivals together for a winner-take-all game three at Truist Park, with the crowd watching closely and the stakes high. The contest was a packed house, primetime affair, with one team going home after the final out. That’s the kind of pressure playoff baseball brings.
Wheeler’s Short Rest
Thursday’s game three was a must-win contest for the Phillies, and Zack Wheeler had to pitch it on short rest. The reason was simple: the Arizona Diamondbacks would not abandon the wild card race. That refusal left the Phillies with no choice but to start Wheeler on Sunday afternoon, securing their spot in the postseason in the process.
Philadelphia went with veteran starter Aaron Nola instead of Wheeler, even though Nola had just finished the worst season of his career, though he did come into the game with more rest. The choice did not pay off quickly. In the opening frame, back-to-back walks to Ronald Acuna Jr. and Matt Olson set up Michael Harris II, who then sent a three-run homer to right center field. That blast put Atlanta ahead 3-0 before anyone could blink.
Kerr Steps Up
The Braves had no other pitching options left, so they put Ray Kerr on the mound at the start of the game against the Phillies lineup. Kerr has thrown just 18 regular season innings this year, and he pitched 3.1 innings with only one hit given up, one walk issued, two strikeouts recorded, and no runs surrendered.
The Phillies were kept mostly at bay by Grant Holmes and a parade of relievers until the middle innings, when Ozzie Albies gave Atlanta some breathing room with a two-run homer off Wheeler, who was pitching in relief.
The Phillies put two runners in scoring position with one out in the sixth, but could only bring in a single run on an Alec Bohm ground out. Matt Olson got it right back with a solo homer in the seventh, extending the lead to 6-1. Philly clawed back a run on a Trea Turner sac fly in the eighth.
Walt Weiss, Braves manager, went against the usual plan and turned to his own ace, Chris Sale, to get the final outs rather than using closer Raisel Iglesias. That decision meant Sale would not pitch again on Saturday, since he now had no need for quick recovery time.
The Dodgers Loom
The Braves have secured their spot for the NLDS, where they will face the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers in a clash of the titans. On paper, LA holds an edge, having benefited from the rest a first-round bye affords them.
Los Angeles can arrange its rotation however it chooses, keep its bullpen fresh, and allow hurt players such as Shohei Ohtani to rest before the series. By contrast, Atlanta has just played three consecutive demanding contests in high-pressure playoff settings. The transition from 0–100 has proven difficult for some teams following bye weeks, which could reduce the benefit of LA’s preparation.
Atlanta has no choice but to cobble together a pitching plan for the first game of the series. Sale started game one of the wild card series, but coming in to close out game three eliminates any possibility of pitching on short rest on Saturday. Tyler Mahle took the mound on Wednesday, which appears to take him out until game three at the earliest. Grant Holmes threw two innings on Thursday, which puts his availability in doubt.
The Offense Carries Weight
Olson, Riley, Albies, Acuna, Harris, and Drake Baldwin give the Braves’ lineup plenty of power, while Iglesias delivered a very strong campaign in the bullpen and Sale has proven to be a force of nature.
This season, LA’s offense has fallen short, yet their rotation stands out. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow make up a group that ranks among the best in the game.
The clash between the two teams should be must-see TV.
What Comes Next
- The Braves face the Dodgers in the NLDS, starting Saturday.
- Sale cannot pitch on short rest after closing game three.
- Mahle is likely out until game three.
- Holmes’s two innings on Thursday raise questions about his availability.
- The Dodgers get a fully rested bullpen after their bye.
Atlanta’s pitching depth is about to face its biggest test of the season this October, and the bullpen concerns threaten to complicate every choice Walt Weiss must make. The offense has already established that it can carry the team to victories on its own.
The Dodgers hold the edge on paper, yet the Braves have proven capable of winning tight contests when the pressure rises. The slugfest between these two squads has already delivered excitement, and the NLDS stands to top it.
Source material: “Braves dominate Phillies with big home runs to set up huge NLDS against Los Angeles Dodgers,” Fox News.
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