The Phillies earned a tight 2-1 victory over the Braves at Citizens Bank Park, a win that keeps them atop the NL East by five games over the Mets. After a night that saw them unleash 19 runs and tie a franchise record with seven homers, Philadelphia relied on timely hitting, strong defense, and a sharp bullpen to snap a close game in the eighth inning.
In the eighth, Alec Bohm delivered the decisive blow with a sacrifice fly to right field off Braves reliever Pierce Johnson, scoring Kyle Schwarber from third after back-to-back singles by Schwarber and Bryce Harper and a grounder from Harper that nudged Schwarber into scoring position. Bohm’s fly ball gave the Phillies the lead they would hold onto in the final frames.
Schwarber, who had just been honored with a standing ovation before his first at-bat after his season-long barrage the night before, finished 1-for-3 with a walk and scored both Phillies runs. Harper and Schwarber’s early rally had the team tying the game in the fourth after Harper’s bunt single set the tone against Atlanta’s shifted defense, then Bohm’s flyout brought in the tying run on Brandon Marsh’s RBI single.
The night wasn’t without its tension. The Braves threatened early, loading the bases in the first four innings against Phillies starter Ranger Suárez, who battled through five innings while allowing 10 hits, two walks and only one run. Atlanta left six runners on base in the first four frames and finished 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
Bryce Elder, Atlanta’s starter on a 6.12 ERA entering his 23rd start, showed resilience, allowing just one run on three hits over seven innings, making the one run the Phillies needed in the end.
A key defensive moment came in the fifth when Nick Castellanos grabbed a Marcell Ozuna fly ball in right and fired to home plate to nail Matt Olson at the plate on a would-be tying run. The inning-ending double play helped keep the game within reach as the Phillies clung to a one-run lead.
Castellanos, who has spent time in an outfield rotation after starting every game last season, acknowledged the adjustment to not playing every day. “It’s a big adjustment,” he said, describing the shift to a more flexible role and multiple lineup appearances. He added there was no specific conversation with manager Rob Thomson about the latest substitution, and that the team’s buy-in remains the priority to win.
Phil Madden? No—sorry. The Phillies’ bullpen did its part, with David Robertson, Matt Strahm, Orion Kerkering and Jhoan Duran combining for four scoreless frames to close out the win and keep the bullpen fresh for the next game. Thomson praised the relief corps for their performance and noted all of them should be available the following day.
With the win, Philadelphia can clinch the series with a victory on Saturday against Atlanta left-hander Chris Sale. The result underscored the Phillies’ continued ability to win in different ways and highlighted the resiliency that has helped them stay ahead in the NL East race.
Additional context and takeaways:
– The Phillies’ five-game cushion in the NL East remains intact as they chase a second straight division title.
– The team emphasized small-ball execution in the fourth inning and timely hits to produce the only two runs they needed.
– The contretemps around Castellanos’s role and the recent lineup adjustments reflect the team’s ongoing focus on strategic depth and player utilization as the season progresses.
– The Braves showed repeated action on offense but could not capitalize with runners in scoring position, leaving multiple chances to seize control.
If you’re looking ahead, Saturday’s matchup with Chris Sale provides another test for Philadelphia’s lineup and bullpen as they push toward securing the series and maintaining momentum in a tight division race. The Phillies’ combination of defense, bullpen depth, and opportunistic hitting continues to give them a dependable path to victory in close contests.