Braves power past Phillies, set NLDS showdown with Dodgers

The Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies delivered the only wild-card series that truly stretched into full postseason drama, and Atlanta finished it with a power display that now sends it into a marquee National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The series had already produced two tense games before Thursday night’s winner-take-all finale at Truist Park. In Game 1, Atlanta trailed 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth before Austin Riley changed everything with a two-out home run, pushing the Braves in front 5-3. Raisel Iglesias handled the ninth to secure the opener and give Atlanta a 1-0 series lead.

Philadelphia answered in Game 2 and forced the decisive third game. After the score was tied 1-1 in the seventh, Bryce Harper misplayed a fly ball in right field, allowing one run to score and helping set up another on a sacrifice fly. Harper responded in the eighth after Kyle Schwarber made it 3-2 with a towering homer, launching a game-tying shot of his own to knot the score at 3. Alec Bohm then broke the tie in the 10th, and Andrew Painter closed out the win for the Phillies.

That set the stage for a packed, high-pressure Game 3 between division rivals, and the Braves struck immediately. Philadelphia, dealing with the consequences of its late-season pitching decisions, did not have Zack Wheeler lined up in ideal fashion after using him Sunday to secure a postseason berth. Instead, the Phillies gave the ball to Aaron Nola, who entered on extra rest despite coming off the worst season of his career.

Atlanta wasted no time taking advantage. Ronald Acuna Jr. and Matt Olson opened the first inning with back-to-back walks, and Michael Harris II followed with a three-run homer to right-center. In a matter of moments, the Braves had a 3-0 lead and the crowd had the energy of a game that already felt tilted.

Just as important was Atlanta’s unexpected pitching contribution at the start. With limited options, the Braves opened with Ray Kerr, a reliever who logged only 18 regular-season innings. Kerr was excellent, working 3.1 innings while allowing just one hit and one walk, striking out two and keeping Philadelphia off the scoreboard.

Grant Holmes and the rest of Atlanta’s bullpen carried the game forward, and the offense added more separation in the middle innings. Ozzie Albies delivered a two-run homer off Wheeler, who appeared in relief, to stretch the lead. The Phillies threatened in the sixth by putting two runners in scoring position with one out, but managed only one run on an Alec Bohm groundout.

Any momentum Philadelphia hoped to build disappeared quickly in the seventh, when Olson answered with a solo homer to make it 6-1. The Phillies scratched across another run in the eighth on a Trea Turner sacrifice fly, but Atlanta chose an unconventional route to the finish. Rather than turning to Iglesias, manager Walt Weiss called on Chris Sale to close the door, and the Braves completed the clincher.

Now comes the Dodgers

Atlanta’s reward is a heavyweight NLDS matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. On paper, Los Angeles benefits from the rest and flexibility that come with a first-round bye. The Dodgers can line up their rotation, lean on a fully refreshed bullpen, and welcome healthier stars, including Shohei Ohtani, into the series.

Still, the Braves bring momentum and battle-tested sharpness after three intense playoff games. That edge could matter, even as Atlanta works through a complicated pitching picture for the opener. Sale started Game 1 of the wild-card series and also finished Game 3, making a quick turnaround difficult. Tyler Mahle pitched Wednesday, and Holmes threw two innings Thursday, leaving questions about availability.

What Atlanta does know is that its lineup remains dangerous from top to bottom. Olson, Riley, Albies, Acuna, Harris, and Drake Baldwin give the Braves both star power and depth. Los Angeles counters with an elite rotation led by Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow. It is the kind of October matchup that needs no extra selling.