(Atlanta) After being muzzled at the plate for almost six innings, the Atlanta Braves came from behind to secure an improbable 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies and tie the series 1-1 second round, Monday.
Travis d’Arnaud, who started the game as catcher due to Sean Murphy’s struggles, gave the Braves hope with a two-run homer in the seventh, cutting the lead to 4-3 in favor of the Phillies.
It was the Braves’ first multi-base hit in this series.
“It was really emotional, especially the way we came from behind,” said D’Arnaud. This is one of my favorite playoff games of all time. »
Austin Riley did the same in the eighth, dispatching a pitch from Jeff Hoffman (0-1) with a full count and two outs into the Phillies bullpen. The Braves took the lead in a game for the first time in the series.
“I have confidence in these players,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. You know what ? They make it difficult for you to achieve 27 [withdrawals]. They will never stop fighting in the batter’s box. »
Ronald Acuna Jr. preceded him to the plate after being hit by Hoffman’s very first pitch of the game.
The match also ended with a bang. With Bryce Harper on first base, Nick Castellanos hit the ball toward the center field fence. However, it was stolen by Michael Harris II, who had to jump to catch the ball.
Harper had already rounded second base when Harris made the catch. He desperately tried to get back to the starting point, and Ozzie Albies failed to catch the relay at second. Alert, Riley stepped forward to catch the ball and return it to first in time for the double play.
“Every playoff win is exciting,” d’Arnaud said. I think it was one of the most exciting endings I’ve ever seen, defensively. “Money Mike” made a pretty crazy catch and the double play to finish the job. »
The match ended like this and the two teams will meet again on Wednesday in Philadelphia.
A. J. Minter (1-0) earned the victory and Raisel Iglesias signed his first save of the playoffs.
With Zack Wheeler dominating against a team that led the major leagues in runs scored and tied a record with 307 home runs, the Phillies built a 4-0 lead. J. T. Realmuto hit a two-run hit in the third off Max Fried.
A single from Alec Bohm and a sacrifice fly from Bryson Stott were responsible for the visitors’ other points.
Wheeler, who was born and raised not far from Truist Park, was one strike away from completing the sixth without allowing a single hit to safety. But he walked Acuna and Albies singled to right.
Acuna initially stopped at third, but he launched toward the plate when the throw to the infield ricocheted off Trea Turner’s glove. It was the shortstop’s second error of the game.
Wheeler had six strikeouts in the first two innings, with the Braves managing to make contact with just 12 of the 26 strikes he threw. Matt Olsen was the only one to reach the trails due to Turner’s first error, unable to catch a groundball.
Marcell Ozuna, the Braves’ 13th hitter, hit to center field. Johan Rojas caught the ball to put him out, but the play looked like progress with the club’s batting woes.
The Braves were shut out in Game 1, starting the series with 14 scoreless innings – their longest scoreless drought of the season – before finally getting on the board.
Fried, whose name was placed on the injured list due to a recurring blister problem late in the season, worked on the mound for four innings. He gave up six hits, leaving the game with a 3-0 score that could have been more important.
Stott hit a grounder with the bases loaded in the first inning. In total, the Phillies left 11 runners out.
