Philadelphia Phillies rally past Atlanta Braves 8‑5 in 10

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. (Interstat) — Bryce Harper drove in four runs and Zack Wheeler turned in a strong start as the Philadelphia Phillies snapped a five-game losing streak with an 8-5 victory over the Atlanta Braves in 10 innings Saturday at Truist Park.

The Phillies scored four times in the top of the 10th inning to break a 4-4 tie and hand the Braves just their second loss in their last eight games. Brad Keller earned the win with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out one. Tyler Kinley took the loss for Atlanta, allowing four runs in the 10th inning.

Philadelphia won despite entering the game with a 9-18 record and having lost four consecutive games to the Braves dating to last weekend. Atlanta fell to 19-9 but remained atop the National League East.

Wheeler worked five innings, allowing three hits and two earned runs while striking out six. He left with the score tied 2-2 after the Braves scored twice in the fourth. Bryce Elder started for Atlanta and went seven innings, allowing six hits and three earned runs with two strikeouts.

The Phillies struck first in the opening inning. After Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber grounded out, Harper drew a walk. Adolis García followed with an RBI triple to left field, scoring Harper for a 1-0 lead.

Neither team scored again until the fourth. The Phillies added a run when Brandon Marsh singled, then Bryson Stott tripled to score Marsh. Atlanta answered in the bottom half. Drake Baldwin and Matt Olson walked, then Ozzie Albies singled to load the bases. Michael Harris II lifted a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Baldwin. Austin Riley doubled, scoring Olson and sending Albies to third, but Wheeler stranded both runners by striking out Mauricio Dubón and Mike Yastrzemski.

Philadelphia regained the lead in the fifth. Rafael Marchán singled, advanced to second on a Turner single, then scored on a Harper single to make it 3-2.

Atlanta tied the game in the sixth against the Phillies bullpen. Matt Olson led off with a double, and Albies followed with an RBI double. Harris singled to score Albies, tying the game at 3. The Braves stranded Harris at first when Riley flied out and Dubón and Yastrzemski struck out.

The Phillies went ahead again in the eighth. Kyle Schwarber tripled and scored on a Harper sacrifice fly to center, giving Philadelphia a 4-3 lead. But Atlanta answered in the bottom of the eighth. Albies doubled, advanced to third on a Harris groundout, but was left there when Austin Riley grounded out.

The score remained 4-4 through nine innings, setting the stage for the decisive 10th.

The game’s most important moment came in the top of the 10th when the Phillies exploded for four runs. With the automatic runner placed at second, Turner walked and Schwarber walked to load the bases. Harper singled to left, scoring the runner and Turner for a 6-4 lead, with Schwarber advancing to second. After García struck out, Marsh singled to right, scoring both Harper and another run to make it 8-4. Stott followed with a single, but the inning ended when Alec Bohm struck out on a foul tip and Justin Crawford struck out swinging.

Atlanta scored once in the bottom of the 10th. With a runner on second, Baldwin singled to left, bringing in the run to cut the lead to 8-5. Olson singled, moving Baldwin to second, but Albies grounded into a force out, and Harris grounded out to end the game.

Keller, José Alvarado, Orion Kerkering and Kyle Backhus combined for 4 2/3 scoreless innings behind Wheeler. Alvarado worked 1 1/3 innings, allowing one hit. Kerkering threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings with one strikeout. Backhus recorded the final out in the 10th after allowing two inherited runners.

Harper finished 2-for-3 with four RBIs and two walks. Stott went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a triple. Albies led Atlanta with three hits in five at-bats, including two doubles and an RBI. Harris had two hits and two RBIs.

The Phillies collected 11 hits to Atlanta’s nine. Philadelphia pitchers combined for 15 strikes, 58 balls and 15 balls in play, while Atlanta pitchers totaled 20 strikes, 52 balls and 20 balls in play. The game lasted 2 hours, 59 minutes before an announced crowd of 39,324.

Philadelphia is scheduled to conclude its four-game series at Atlanta on Sunday. The Braves will host Detroit on Tuesday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Atlanta 7, Philadelphia 1. Interstat’s ELO system had given Atlanta a 55.60 percent probability of winning. Philadelphia had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of 13 went under the over/under line of 8.5.