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Braves Rally Past Phillies 5–3 in Wild Card Game 1

By Drooid · Sep 30, 2026, 2:31 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Braves Beat Phillies

Atlanta Braves beat Philadelphia Phillies 5–3 in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series.
Austin Riley hit a go-ahead three-run homer off Jhoan Duran in the eighth.
J.T. Realmuto’s two-run triple in the seventh gave Philadelphia a 3–2 lead.
Chris Sale struck out nine batters over 6 1/3 innings, matching his postseason high.
Jesus Luzardo threw 77 pitches, allowing one run in five innings, exceeding expectations.

Summary

Braves Secure NLDS

A Braves series win sends them to face the No. 2-seeded Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS.
The Braves’ 26-man Wild Card roster includes 11 pitchers and 15 position players.
Right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver was left off the postseason roster.
Game 1 tickets start at $35, Game 2 at $43, and Game 3 at $49.
The NLDS could start in Los Angeles, shift to Atlanta for Games 3-4, and return to LA for Game 5.

History

Historical Context

The 1995 MLB postseason introduced the first wild-card team after the leagues split into three divisions, expanding the playoffs to four teams per league. That year the NL Division Series ran from October 3-7, with the Atlanta Braves (90-54) winning the NL championship and the World Series. The current NL Wild Card Series follows that same expanded-postseason model.

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Braves Beat Phillies

Atlanta Braves beat Philadelphia Phillies 5–3 in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series.
Austin Riley hit a go-ahead three-run homer off Jhoan Duran in the eighth.
J.T. Realmuto’s two-run triple in the seventh gave Philadelphia a 3–2 lead.
Chris Sale struck out nine batters over 6 1/3 innings, matching his postseason high.
Jesus Luzardo threw 77 pitches, allowing one run in five innings, exceeding expectations.

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