ATLANTA — Austin Riley turned one pitch into the swing that changed the afternoon, drilling a three-run homer in the eighth inning to lift the Braves past the Phillies, 5-3, in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park.
Riley finds October’s biggest hit
The game opened as a tight pitching matchup before the late innings became a scramble for timely damage. Philadelphia carried a one-run lead into the bottom of the eighth, but its closer, Jhoan Duran, left a first-pitch four-seamer in Riley’s path.
Riley did not miss it. His three-run shot put Atlanta in front for good and supplied a postseason moment far bigger than anything from his difficult regular season, when he hit .219 with a .290 on-base percentage and a .364 slugging percentage.
- Final score: Braves 5, Phillies 3.
- Series situation: Atlanta leads the best-of-three NL Wild Card Series, 1-0.
- Riley’s homer came with the Braves down one run in the eighth.
- It was just the third home run Duran had surrendered during the season.
Philadelphia’s relief plan gets tested early
Duran’s arrival itself was a notable move. He entered during the middle of the seventh inning, well before the typical closing assignment, as Philadelphia tried to navigate Atlanta’s most dangerous hitters over the final stretch.
It was Duran’s earliest entrance in a game since April 20 of last season, when he was with Minnesota. He had made only one multi-inning appearance this year, against the Angels on Aug. 29, and had never worked more than six outs in an outing.
The decision raised an immediate question around the ballpark: Was Philadelphia asking Duran for a three-inning save, or simply using him through the heart of Atlanta’s order before turning the ninth over to another arm from a taxed bullpen?
Riley’s homer made sure that answer would wait. The Phillies now head into Game 2 with their late-inning blueprint very much in focus.
Game 1 history favors Atlanta
The Braves did more than seize a dramatic win. They grabbed the series advantage that has regularly proven decisive in the current Wild Card format.
- Teams winning Game 1 of a best-of-three Wild Card Series have taken the series 21 times in 24 opportunities, an 88% rate.
- Home clubs that have won the opener are 9-for-9 in finishing off the series.
- Atlanta can advance with another victory in Game 2 on Wednesday.
Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. For the Braves, Riley’s eighth-inning blast has put them one win from moving on; for the Phillies, the response begins with finding a way to keep the game from reaching another late-inning crossroads.
