Alec Bohm’s two-out home run in the 10th inning propelled the Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday, setting the stage for a decisive Game 3 in their National League Wild Card Series. Trailing 3-1 in the seventh inning, the Phillies mounted a comeback with consecutive homers from Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, with Harper’s blast helping to erase the impact of an earlier fielding miscue.
Andrew Painter, who started during the regular season, came in to pitch the final three innings scorelessly, easing pressure on Philadelphia’s bullpen. He stranded two runners in the 10th after striking out Dominic Smith, winning the battle with the help of an Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge. Under traditional extra-inning rules — unlike the regular season’s use of designated runners at second base — Bohm smacked his third postseason career homer, a 357-foot shot to right field off Braves reliever Didier Fuentes.
With this win, the Phillies aim to continue their postseason success against the Braves, having previously defeated Atlanta in the 1993 NLCS and both the 2022 and 2023 NLDS. The turning point in the seventh inning came when Drake Baldwin’s double glanced off Harper’s glove, allowing Sean Murphy to score and giving Atlanta a 2-1 advantage. Harper, who resumed playing outfield recently after a hiatus since 2022, had a poor jump and couldn’t reach the ball near the warning track, though he was not charged with an error. Matt Olson later added a sacrifice fly to extend Atlanta’s lead.
“Probably should have been caught, obviously,” Harper admitted. The Phillies fought back in the eighth with towering homers by Schwarber and Harper off Braves pitcher Dylan Lee, the winning pitcher in Tuesday’s opener. Schwarber’s homer traveled 447 feet, while Harper’s followed with a 418-foot blast.
For Atlanta, Tyler Mahle pitched seven innings, allowing one run on six hits. Philadelphia starter Cristopher Sanchez gave up three runs in 6 2/3 innings, throwing a career-high 116 pitches. In the 10th, Painter gave up a single to Mauricio Dubon, struck out Austin Riley, then allowed a soft single to Michael Harris II. The game’s final out came when a 0-2 fastball to Dominic Smith was initially called a ball but overturned after a quick ABS review confirmed the pitch was in the strike zone — marking the first postseason game to end on a strike-zone challenge.
Harper, shifted to outfield after long playing first base, was positioned shallow and was late to react to Baldwin’s double with runners on base, only managing to tip the ball off his glove. Meanwhile, Ronald Acuna Jr. helped Atlanta early, drawing a walk, stealing second and third base, then scoring on Olson’s single in the first inning. Sanchez held the Braves hitless until Sean Murphy doubled in the fifth, while Mahle’s strongest inning came in the fifth, striking out both Schwarber and Harper. Sanchez intentionally walked Acuna with two outs before Baldwin grounded out to end the frame.
Reported by the Associated Press.
Fan Take: This thrilling comeback showcases just how unpredictable and intense postseason baseball can be, reminding fans why October baseball holds a special place in the sport. The Phillies’ resilience against a powerhouse Braves team could signal a fiercely competitive era in the National League, adding excitement and drama to future playoffs.
Source: www.foxsports.com
