The Atlanta Braves took down the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park on Tuesday September 29 2026. Austin Riley delivered a three-run home run in the eighth inning that gave the Braves the lead for good. The victory put Atlanta one win away from advancing to the National League Division Series.
The game featured a strong pitching matchup between Chris Sale and Jesús Luzardo. Philadelphia struck first when Alec Bohm hit an RBI double off Sale in the opening inning.
Atlanta answered in the second inning after Michael Harris II reached base and later scored.
Mike Yastrzemski delivered a game-tying single for the Braves. Luzardo limited Atlanta to one run over five innings in his first start since returning from a shoulder injury.
The Braves moved ahead 2-1 in the sixth inning when Ozzie Albies drove in Harris with a triple. The ball nearly left the park before bouncing away from Philadelphia outfielder Derek Hill near the wall.
Sale carried the lead into the seventh inning but Philadelphia finally broke through. J.T. Realmuto hit a two-run triple that gave the Phillies a 3-2 advantage. Sale left after 6 1/3 innings with nine strikeouts.
Atlanta mounted its decisive rally against All-Star closer Jhoan Duran in the bottom of the eighth. Harris opened the rally with a single and Albies was hit by a pitch. Riley then drove a three-run homer to right-center field to put the Braves ahead 5-3.
The home run was especially important for Riley after a difficult regular season. He finished the year with a .219 batting average and 19 home runs. Riley said the postseason gave him a chance to start fresh after a frustrating year.
Dylan Lee earned the win after pitching a scoreless eighth inning for Atlanta. Raisel Iglesias closed the game in the ninth and worked out of trouble to preserve the victory.
Harris finished 3-for-3 and scored twice.
Philadelphia had opportunities throughout the game but struggled to convert enough of them. Realmuto’s two-run triple and Bohm’s early RBI double accounted for all three Phillies runs. Duran took the loss after allowing Riley’s decisive homer.
The win gave Atlanta a 1-0 advantage in the best-of-three series. The Braves can clinch a place in the NLDS with another victory in Game 2 on Wednesday.