NL wild-card roundup: Austin Riley’s late three-run homer lifts Braves past Phillies
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 gave up 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 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.”