The Braves Phillies Game 3 showdown was never really close. Atlanta rode early home runs, a scoreless outing from opener Ray Kerr, and a storybook relief appearance by Chris Sale to a 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in the decisive Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series on Thursday night, ending years of winner-take-all heartbreak and punching the club’s ticket to the National League Division Series.
With the victory, the Braves advance to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in a best-of-five NLDS beginning Saturday in Los Angeles, according to USA Today.
Braves Phillies Game 3: Atlanta Strikes First, Then Pulls Away
The home crowd barely had time to settle in before the Braves seized control. After walks to Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson to open the bottom of the first inning, Michael Harris II launched a three-run homer off Phillies ace Aaron Nola, sending the stadium into a frenzy and giving Atlanta a lead it would never relinquish.
The Braves doubled the damage in the fourth. Ozzie Albies crushed a 419-foot, two-run homer off Zack Wheeler, and Matt Olson added a solo shot of his own to make it 6-0, according to Reuters.
Philadelphia managed two runs in the late innings, but the outcome had long since been decided. The Braves bullpen held firm, and Atlanta closed out the series in front of its home fans.
Harris Sets the Tone Early
Harris’s first-inning blast did more than score three runs — it set the emotional tone for the entire night. After the Phillies had evened the series in Game 2, where Alec Bohm and Bryce Harper delivered redemption performances for Philadelphia, the Braves came out swinging and never looked back.
Kerr’s Scoreless Debut Opens the Door
Ray Kerr made his postseason debut as an opener and delivered 3⅓ scoreless innings, according to Reuters. The left-hander kept Philadelphia’s powerful lineup off balance just long enough for the Atlanta bullpen to take over, and Grant Holmes (1-0) earned the win in relief.
The opener strategy worked to perfection. Philadelphia’s bats, which had come alive in Game 2, could never find their rhythm against Kerr and the parade of relievers that followed.
Sale Shuts the Door in Storybook Fashion
Then came the moment that will live in Braves lore. Chris Sale, who had thrown 6⅓ innings as the Game 1 starter, took the mound in relief — and promptly struck out Bryce Harper to end the eighth inning before working a scoreless ninth to seal the series.
It was Sale’s first relief appearance since he closed out the 2018 World Series for the Boston Red Sox, according to Reuters — eight years between bullpen outings, capped by punching out the Phillies’ biggest star in the biggest moment of the game.
The symbolism was lost on no one. Sale, the veteran ace, asked to take the ball one more time in a series-clinching spot — and delivered exactly what October demands.
Exorcising October Demons: Braves Phillies Game 3 Ends a Brutal Streak
For Atlanta, this was about more than one series win. The victory was the Braves’ first in a winner-take-all postseason game since Game 7 of the 1996 NL Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, snapping a six-game elimination-game losing streak that dated back to the 2018 NLDS, according to Reuters.
For a franchise with championship aspirations and a fan base scarred by recent October disappointments, Thursday night felt like a genuine turning of the page.
The loss had the opposite effect in Philadelphia. The defeat extended the Phillies’ winner-take-all losing streak to four games and snapped their four-year streak of reaching at least the NLDS, according to Reuters.
What’s Next: Dodgers Await in the NLDS
The reward for surviving the Wild Card Series is a date with the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers in a best-of-five NLDS starting Saturday in Los Angeles, according to USA Today.
The Braves will need every ounce of momentum from Thursday night’s win. The Dodgers present a far sterner test than the Phillies did — but if Atlanta’s pitching keeps dealing and the long ball keeps flying, nobody in that clubhouse will be backing down.
How We Got Here
This site’s Game 2 coverage detailed how Philadelphia forced the decisive third game behind big performances from Alec Bohm and Bryce Harper. Our earlier Game 1 coverage tracked Chris Sale’s strong start as Atlanta took the series opener. Now, the Braves have finished the job — and October continues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Braves Phillies Game 3?
The Atlanta Braves won Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 on Thursday night (Oct. 1) at home to win the series and advance to the NLDS.
Who hit home runs for the Braves in Game 3?
Michael Harris II hit a three-run homer in the first inning off Aaron Nola, Ozzie Albies hit a 419-foot two-run homer in the fourth off Zack Wheeler, and Matt Olson also homered, according to Reuters.
Who do the Braves play next in the playoffs?
The Braves face the Los Angeles Dodgers in a best-of-five NL Division Series starting Saturday in Los Angeles.
When did the Braves last win a winner-take-all game before Game 3?
Before Thursday night, Atlanta’s last winner-take-all postseason victory came in Game 7 of the 1996 NL Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Game 3 win snapped a six-game elimination-game losing streak dating to the 2018 NLDS, according to Reuters.
Source: reporting by Reuters and USA Today.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.