Austin Riley's 3-run homer off
Jhoan Duran rallies Braves past Phillies 5-3 in NLWCS opener
[September 30, 2026]
By CHARLES ODUM
ATLANTA (AP) — Austin Riley hit a three-run homer off All-Star
closer Jhoan Duran in the eighth inning and the Atlanta Braves
rallied past the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 on Tuesday in the opener
of a best-of-three National League Wild Card Series.
Duran (0-1), who allowed just two homers in 61 regular-season games,
gave up a single to Michael Harris II before hitting Ozzie Albies
with a pitch. Riley drove the go-ahead blast over the wall in
right-center field. Harris had three hits.
The Braves can clinch the series on Wednesday and end the Phillies’
history of postseason success in the NL East rivalry. Philadelphia
beat Atlanta in the 1993 NLCS and the 2022 and 2023 NLDS.
Riley's go-ahead homer was especially satisfying after he hit only
.219 with 19 homers in a frustrating regular season.
“Especially knowing how my season was not the way I wanted it,
that's why the postseason is a clean slate,” Riley said, adding he
was “trying to do something good” for his teammates.
Braves ace Chris Sale said Riley never let his struggles affect his
approach to the game during the regular season.
“You couldn't tell if he was the leading MVP candidate or if he was
struggling,” Sale said. "I really mean that. He's the same guy. He
kept doing the work and had a great moment."
Sale dueled early against Phillies left-hander Jesus Luzardo, who
was sharp after missing time down the stretch with left shoulder
inflammation. Luzardo was expected to make an abbreviated start, but
he pitched one-run ball over five innings with 77 pitches.
“In my mind if we got 75 pitches from him today we would be in a
pretty good spot,” Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said of
Luzardo. “... He kind of gave us more than we thought honestly.”
Atlanta pounced when Philadelphia went to the bullpen — a common
theme for the Phillies as they slumped into the postseason. Their
relievers had a 5.79 ERA in September, worst in the majors.
Albies hit a tiebreaking triple off Alex McFarlane in the sixth for
a 2-1 lead. Center fielder Derek Hill had an opportunity to make a
leaping catch of Albies’ drive at the wall, but he appeared to jump
too high. The ball hit Hill’s wrist below his glove.
J.T. Realmuto put Philadelphia ahead 3-2 with a two-run triple in
the seventh inning — right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. bobbled the ball
near the wall, but he wasn't charged with an error.
Mattingly handed the ball over to Duran in the seventh, perhaps
hoping the 28-year-old had three innings in him to close things out.
Duran made just one multi-inning appearance this season.
[to top of second column] |
Atlanta Braves' Austin Riley hits a three-run home run off
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jhoan Duran (59) in the eighth inning
during Game 1 of baseball's National League Wild Card Series
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Sale gave up three runs as he faded in the seventh
in his effort to deliver as the ace of Atlanta’s depleted rotation.
Sale hit Bryan De La Cruz with a pitch with one out
in the seventh before giving up a single to Bryson Stott.
Right-hander Didier Fuentes then gave up Realmuto’s two-run triple
to the right-field corner.
Alec Bohm hit a high fastball from Sale for a run-scoring double
over Harris in center in the first inning. Sale didn’t give up
another hit until Edmundo Sosa doubled with two outs in the fifth.
Luzardo gave up three hits with six strikeouts. He pitched longer
than many expected after throwing a scoreless eighth inning in
Sunday’s 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays that clinched the wild-card
berth.
Raisel Iglesias pitched the ninth for the save after Dylan Lee (1-0)
threw a scoreless eighth.
100 at 37
The 37-year-old Sale threw a 100 mph fastball to Bryce Harper in
the first inning. He joined Aroldis Chapman for Boston last season
as the only pitchers 37 or older to throw a 100 mph pitch in the
postseason since tracking began in 2008.
No sellout
The 2:15 p.m. first pitch, with potential fans in school and at
work, hurt the attendance. The announced attendance was 30,127 with
gaps of empty seats throughout Truist Park, especially in left
field.
The Braves ranked 10th in the major leagues in attendance with a
total of 2,800,446 and an average of 34,573 with 25 sellouts.
Up next
Braves RHP Tyler Mahle (7-10, 3.99 ERA) is expected to face Phillies
LHP Cristopher Sánchez (18-7, 2.91) in Wednesday’s second game of
the series. Mahle was 4-1 with a 1.99 ERA in nine games with
Atlanta.
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