Alec Bohm hit a go-ahead home run with two outs in the 10th inning on Wednesday. His blast propelled the Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-3 victory against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. The win forced a decisive third game in their National League Wild Card Series, keeping the Phillies’ postseason hopes alive after erasing a late deficit.
Playing under traditional extra-inning rules without designated runners at second base, Bohm delivered his third career postseason home run on a 357-foot drive off Braves reliever Didier Fuentes. The clutch hit marked the fourth time in franchise history that a Phillies player hit a postseason home run in the 10th inning or later.
Late-Inning Fireworks Erase Braves Lead
For much of the afternoon, the Braves appeared poised to clinch the series. Atlanta built a 3-1 advantage in the seventh inning when Drake Baldwin hit an RBI double that glanced off Bryce Harper’s glove in right field, driving in Sean Murphy. Matt Olson followed immediately with a sacrifice fly to extend the lead.
However, the Phillies’ power hitters answered in the eighth. Kyle Schwarber led off the frame with a towering 447-foot solo home run off Dylan Lee. This was his 24th career postseason blast, moving him past George Springer into third place on the all-time list. Bryce Harper quickly followed with a 418-foot shot to tie the game at 3-3, atoning for his misplay in the outfield the inning prior.
“I wasn’t not trying to hit a homer, I can tell you that,” Harper said with a smile after the game. “My teammates pick me up in that situation, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Andrew Painter Shines in Relief Debut
With the Philadelphia bullpen heavily taxed, rookie right-hander Andrew Painter stepped into a high-pressure relief role. He delivered three scoreless innings to earn the win (1-0). Painter, a regular-season starter, worked out of trouble in the ninth and tenth frames.
In the bottom of the 10th, Painter stranded two runners and secured the final out by striking out Atlanta pinch-hitter Dominic Smith. The game ended with a historic milestone. After plate umpire Adam Beck called an 0-2 pitch inside, Painter and catcher J.T. Realmuto successfully called for an Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge. Replays confirmed the ball clipped the strike zone, marking the first time a postseason game has ended with a strike-zone appeal.
Starting Pitching Matchups and Game 3 Outlook
Both starting pitchers put in gritty performances before handing things over to the bullpens. Atlanta starter Tyler Mahle surrendered just one run on six hits across seven innings, fighting through a pregame abdominal scare. On the other side, Philadelphia left-hander Cristopher Sánchez pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on a career-high 116 pitches while escaping several jams.
The victory sets up a winner-take-all Game 3 on Thursday in Atlanta. The winner will advance to face the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series. The Phillies will look to continue their historical postseason dominance over the Braves, having previously eliminated their division rivals in the 1993 NLCS as well as the 2022 and 2023 NLDS.
