Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series saw the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves locked in a 3-3 tie on Wednesday afternoon before third baseman Alec Bohm delivered a game-changing swing. His two-out home run in the 10th inning propelled the Phillies to a 4-3 victory over Atlanta, setting up a winner-take-all Game 3.
Philadelphia had fallen behind 3-1 earlier in the contest before Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper launched back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning to even the score. Harper's impactful blast came just an inning after he was involved in a play that allowed a costly Braves run.
Following the offensive heroics, Andrew Painter, a regular-season starter, entered the game and provided three vital scoreless innings of relief. His performance preserved Philadelphia's bullpen, which had been heavily utilized, stranding two runners in the 10th and striking out Dominic Smith after the Phillies successfully challenged an automated ball-strike (ABS) call.
Bohm's Decisive Blow in Extra Innings
Playing under traditional extra-inning rules, which do not feature the designated runner at second base as seen in the regular season, Bohm stepped up and hit his third career postseason home run. The 357-foot drive to right field came off right-handed pitcher Didier Fuentes, sealing the dramatic win for Philadelphia.
The Phillies will now aim to continue their history of postseason success against the Braves in Thursday's Game 3. Philadelphia has previously defeated Atlanta in the 1993 National League Championship Series and both the 2022 and 2023 National League Division Series.
Comeback Fueled by Power
In the seventh inning, Drake Baldwin's double deflected off Harper's glove in right field, allowing Sean Murphy to score and giving Atlanta a 2-1 advantage. Harper, who returned to playing outfield late in the season for the first time since 2022, was noted for a slow jump on the ball and was leaping near the warning track. He was not charged with a fielding error on the play. Matt Olson then contributed a sacrifice fly to extend Atlanta's lead.
“Probably should have been caught, obviously,” Harper commented on the play.
The Phillies mounted their comeback in the eighth inning with consecutive home runs from Schwarber and Harper, both hit off Dylan Lee, who had been the winning pitcher in the Braves' 5-3 opening victory on Tuesday. Schwarber's powerful drive traveled an estimated 447 feet, while Harper's follow-up blast covered 418 feet.
Pitching Performances and Game 3 Outlook
For Atlanta, Tyler Mahle delivered a strong performance, allowing just one run on six hits over seven innings. Philadelphia's Cristopher Sánchez pitched 6 2/3 innings, surrendering three runs and throwing a career-high 116 pitches.
The start time for the decisive Game 3 remains unconfirmed. Major League Baseball is expected to schedule the game for either 2:15 p.m. ET or 8:15 p.m. ET in Atlanta, with the final decision contingent on the conclusions of the other three Wild Card Series Game 2 matchups scheduled for Wednesday night.
