In a thrilling opening night of the National League wild‑card series, the Atlanta Braves edged the Philadelphia Phillies 5‑3 thanks to a clutch three‑run home run by Austin Riley in the eighth inning.
Key moments
Braves starter Chris Sale exited after one out in the sixth inning with runners on the corners and Atlanta holding a 2‑1 lead. The Phillies responded when J.T. Realmuto ripped a two‑run triple off reliever Didier Fuentes, briefly putting Philadelphia ahead.
Atlanta’s bullpen stepped up. Jhoan Duran (0‑1), who converted 33 of 35 save chances during the regular season, retired the first five batters he faced before surrendering the three‑run rally that Riley sparked.
Riley’s eighth‑inning blast came with two outs, sending the crowd at Truist Park into a frenzy and restoring a 5‑3 lead that the Braves would protect for the remainder of the game.
Relief pitching
Following the rally, Dylan Lee (1‑0) delivered a scoreless eighth inning, and Raisel Iglesias closed out the ninth for the save, cementing the win.
Other wild‑card results
In the American League, the New York Yankees dominated the Boston Red Sox 9‑0. Cam Schlittler fanned 10 batters over 6 1/3 innings, while Ben Rice went 4‑for‑5 with a solo homer and a grand slam.
Meanwhile, the Chicago White Sox beat the Houston Astros 6‑3. Colson Montgomery homered in his postseason debut, and the White Sox’s pitching staff kept Houston at bay.
In the National League, the San Diego Padres routed the Chicago Cubs 8‑0. Michael King allowed just one hit through seven innings, and the Padres’ lineup featured homers from Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Xander Bogaerts.
Looking ahead
The Braves now hold a 1‑0 series lead and will aim to build on Riley’s heroics in Game 2. The Phillies will look to rebound and adjust their pitching strategy after the late‑inning collapse.
Fans can expect more high‑stakes baseball as the wild‑card round progresses, with each team fighting for a spot in the postseason.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
