Braves Beat Phillies 5-3 in Wild Card Game 1 on Austin Riley's Eighth-Inning Homer
Austin Riley's go-ahead three-run homer off Jhoan Duran gave Atlanta a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series, and Philadelphia now faces a must-win Game 2.
The Atlanta Braves are one win from advancing in the MLB playoffs after beating the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series on Tuesday at Truist Park.
The deciding blow came in the eighth inning, when third baseman Austin Riley hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off Phillies closer Jhoan Duran.
What happened in the eighth
Philadelphia had taken a 3-2 lead in the seventh on a two-run triple from catcher J.T. Realmuto. Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly then brought in Duran, an All-Star closer, in the seventh inning.
Duran worked a scoreless seventh on 12 pitches and went back out for the eighth. After two quick outs, Michael Harris II singled and Ozzie Albies was hit by a pitch. Riley then drove the ball over the right-center-field wall to put Atlanta ahead for good.
Harris finished with three hits. Duran threw 27 pitches and allowed three runs in two innings.
A bounce-back moment for Riley
Riley's regular season was a struggle. According to Fox News, he hit 19 home runs with a .219 average. FOX Sports called it the worst offensive season of his eight-year career.
"Everybody knows kind of how my season went, not the way I wanted it to," Riley said. "But that's the beauty of the postseason. You kind of get a clean slate."
Duran had allowed only two home runs in 61 regular-season appearances before Riley's shot. He converted 33 of 35 save chances.
Mattingly defends the Duran decision
Philadelphia's bullpen had a 5.79 ERA in September, the worst in the majors. Mattingly said he wanted his best reliever in the game as early as possible.
He said the seventh-inning move was not about matchups. "It was more the spot," he said. He added that if the eighth had gone quickly he would have checked with Duran, and otherwise would have turned to someone else.
"In our minds, we had our best guy out there," Mattingly said. "You live with this one."
Duran said he was told to be ready for another inning after his first. He had made just one multi-inning appearance in the regular season.
Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo, back from a shoulder issue that cost him the last couple of weeks of the regular season, threw five innings of one-run ball. Braves ace Chris Sale also pitched well before leaving.
What happens next
Game 2 is Wednesday. Left-hander Cristopher Sánchez is set to start for Philadelphia, which must win to stay alive. Mattingly said Duran's availability is uncertain and will be checked Wednesday.
The Braves can clinch the series with a win. Philadelphia eliminated Atlanta in the 1993 NLCS and the 2022 and 2023 NLDS, and is making its fifth straight postseason appearance.
Check the game's live coverage for the latest, because Game 2 may already be under way or finished by the time you read this.
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