Austin Riley launched a crucial three-run home run in the eighth inning to lift the Atlanta Braves to a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday in Atlanta, opening their Major League Baseball postseason series.
Eighth-Inning Home Run Shakes Up Philadelphia Bullpen
Facing Jhoan Duran, Riley drove a pitch to the opposite field to give the Braves a lead they would protect through the final out. The sequence began when Michael Harris beat out an infield single with two outs, followed by Ozzie Albies getting hit by a pitch. Riley then connected on Duran’s offering to flip the scoreboard.
Duran had surrendered just two home runs across 61 regular-season appearances. The reliever was summoned in the seventh inning with no outs, a notable departure from a regular season where Duran worked more than a single frame only once.
Starting Pitching and Seventh-Inning Shifts
Before the late-game drama, Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale controlled much of the afternoon. Sale logged six and a third innings, striking out nine batters while yielding three runs and four hits.
The Phillies broke through in the seventh when J.T. Realmuto delivered a two-run triple that handed the visitors a 3-2 advantage. Bryce Harper finished 0-for-4 with two strikeouts for Philadelphia, matching the stat line of Matt Olson.
Series Context and Upcoming Pitching Matchup
The relief corps for Philadelphia struggled significantly down the stretch, posting a 5.79 ERA in September, the highest mark in Major League Baseball. That vulnerability surfaced immediately in the postseason opener.
The series continues Wednesday in Atlanta. Christopher Sanchez, who finished the regular season with an 18-7 record, is scheduled to take the mound for the Phillies against Tyler Mahle, who went 7-10.
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