Braves win Game 1 then Phillies force Game 2 in dramatic NL Wild Card series

The Atlanta Braves defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 on September 29, 2026, at Truist Park, snapping a late‑game deficit with third baseman Austin Riley’s go‑ahead home run in the eighth inning and sealing the win as Raisel Iglesias closed out the ninth.

The victory gave the Braves a 1-0 series lead in the National League Wild Card matchup, but the triumph was short‑lived as the Phillies rallied the next night to even the series.

On September 30, Philadelphia responded with a 4-3 win. After a routine fly ball misplay by Bryce Harper in the seventh allowed a run, the Phillies trailed again but Harper redeemed himself by homering in the eighth to tie the game at three runs each. The deadlock was broken in the tenth when Alec Bohm delivered a decisive run, and Andrew Painter recorded the final out for the save.

Both games featured dramatic swings. The Braves trailed late in Game 1 before Riley’s clutch blast shifted momentum, while the Phillies overcame a one‑run deficit in Game 2 with Harper’s late heroics and Bohm’s tenth‑inning surge. The back‑and‑forth underscored the intensity of the East rivalry and set the stage for a high‑stakes finale.

Game 3 is slated for Thursday night at Truist Park. The Braves are expected to open with reliever Ray Kerr, who has limited major‑league experience this season, while the Phillies will start veteran Aaron Nola on regular rest after the short‑rest plan for Zack Wheeler fell through. The winner of the decisive game will advance to the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.