By Canadian Press

Braves rally for 5-4 win over Phillies on d’Arnaud, Riley homers

Oct 9, 2023 | 7:51 PM

ATLANTA (AP) — After being held hitless into the sixth inning, the Atlanta Braves rallied for an improbable 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on two-run homers by Travis d’Arnaud and Austin Riley and a game-ending double play for the ages to even the National League Division Series at one win apiece Monday night.

D’Arnaud, who started at catcher over slumping Sean Murphy, gave the Braves hope with his shot into the left-field seats in the seventh, cutting Philadelphia’s lead to 4-3.

It was Atlanta’s first extra-base hit of the series.

Riley provided the second, driving a 3-2 pitch from Jeff Hoffman (0-1) into the Phillies bullpen with two outs in the eighth to put the Braves ahead for the first time in the best-of-five series. Ronald Acuña Jr. scored ahead of Riley after being plunked on the left arm by Hoffman’s first pitch coming in from the bullpen.

It ended in equally stunning fashion. With Bryce Harper aboard, Nick Castellanos drove one to the fence in deep right-centre, only to be robbed on a great leaping catch by Michael Harris II. 

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Harper had rounded second base when Harris made the catch. He backtracked desperately, and the throw back to the infield skidded past second baseman Ozzie Albies. But Riley alertly backed up the play and zipped a throw to first that completed the double play.

Just like that, the series was all tied up. Game 3 is Wednesday in Philadelphia.

A.J. Minter (1-0) earned the win and Raisel Iglesias claimed his first save of this post-season.

With Zack Wheeler dominating a lineup that led the majors in runs and tied a big league record with 307 homers, the Phillies built a 4-0 lead. J.T. Realmuto hit a two-run drive in the third off Max Fried, sandwiched between Alec Bohm’s run-scoring single and Bryson Stott’s sacrifice fly.

Wheeler, who was born and raised not far from Truist Park, was one strike away from making it through the sixth without allowing a hit. But he walked Acuña after getting ahead 1-2 in the count, and Albies lined a single to right.

Acuña was holding up at third, but he took off for home when the throw back to the infield ricocheted off Trea Turner’s glove for the shortstop’s second error of the night.

Wheeler fanned the side in each of the first two innings, with the Braves making contact on just 12 of 26 strikes. Matt Olson was the lone baserunner, reaching when Turner bobbled a routine grounder to shortstop. 

On Atlanta’s 13th batter of the night, Marcell Ozuna lifted one to centre field. It was caught by Johan Rojas, but that seemed like progress the way the Braves were struggling.

Atlanta was shut out 3-0 in Game 1 and started the series with 14 straight scoreless innings — its longest drought of the season — before finally breaking through with an assist from Turner’s glove.

Fried, who went on the injured list late in the season with a recurring blister issue, laboured through four innings. He surrendered three runs and six hits and was lucky to leave the game trailing only 3-0.

Bryson Stott grounded out with the bases loaded to end the first, and the Phillies stranded two more runners in the fourth.

In all, the Phillies left 11 runners on base.

FAMILIAR LINEUP

After juggling the batting order for the series opener, and catching some heat when the Braves were shut out at home for the first time all season, manager Brian Snitker returned to a more familiar lineup card.

Albies was back in the second slot after batting cleanup in Game 1, followed by Riley and Olson. 

The Braves did make the change at catcher, which paid off big time.

UP NEXT

Aaron Nola, who pitched seven scoreless innings against Miami during the wild-card round, will go for the Phillies in Game 3. The right-hander made three appearance against the Braves during the regular season, posting a 3.50 ERA while failing to pick up a decision. 

Atlanta has yet to name its starter for Game 3, though the Phillies are expecting to see either Bryce Elder or AJ Smith-Shawver, a 20-year-old rookie. “You kind of prepare for both of them and just be ready to go,” Philadelphia manager Rob Thomson said.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Paul Newberry, The Associated Press