SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. (Interstat) — The Atlanta Braves defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 on Thursday night at Truist Park in Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series, winning the series 2-1 and eliminating Philadelphia from the postseason. Atlanta, the home team, improved to 96-69. Philadelphia, the visiting team, finished 89-76. The game took 2 hours, 46 minutes and was played before 41,731. Atlanta advanced to the NL Division Series and will face the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Braves won the opener, Philadelphia evened the series, and Atlanta took the decisive third game to end Philadelphia’s season.

Atlanta took control in the first inning. Ronald Acuña Jr. walked, and Matt Olson walked before Michael Harris II hit a three-run home run to right-center field. Harris finished 1 for 3 with one home run and three RBIs. Drake Baldwin had flied out sharply to center fielder Justin Crawford to begin the inning, and Mauricio Dubón struck out swinging and Mike Yastrzemski flied out to end the first. Philadelphia’s first inning included a single by Kyle Schwarber, but Bryce Harper struck out swinging and Alec Bohm grounded out. The Braves had a quick lead and never trailed.

The Braves added to their lead in the fourth. Austin Riley walked, and Ozzie Albies homered to right-center field. Albies went 1 for 3 with one home run and two RBIs. Dominic Smith followed with a single, but Drake Baldwin grounded into a double play to end the inning. Philadelphia’s best early chance came in the fifth. Bryan De La Cruz singled and Brandon Marsh walked, but J.T. Realmuto flied out to right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and Justin Crawford grounded into a double play. In the top of the fourth, Kyle Schwarber walked and was erased when Bryce Harper lined into a force out. Alec Bohm grounded out to move Harper to second, and Bryson Stott was called out on strikes. Atlanta’s pitchers then retired the side in order in the bottom of the fifth. Acuña popped out to first baseman Bryce Harper, Olson popped out to shortstop Trea Turner, and Harris struck out swinging.

Philadelphia broke through in the sixth. Trea Turner grounded out, but Kyle Schwarber singled and Bryce Harper doubled to put runners in scoring position. Alec Bohm grounded out to shortstop Mauricio Dubón, allowing Schwarber to score. Bryson Stott then flied out to right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. Atlanta’s bullpen responded. Ray Kerr pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing one hit and no earned runs. He walked one and struck out two. Kerr was Atlanta’s top star and helped quiet Philadelphia’s lineup in the middle and late innings. Chris Sale added 1 1/3 scoreless innings for Atlanta, giving up one hit and striking out three.

The Phillies scored again in the eighth when Derek Hill tripled to center field and came home on Trea Turner’s sacrifice fly. Kyle Schwarber flied out, and Bryce Harper struck out swinging to end the inning. Atlanta answered in the seventh when Matt Olson homered to center field. Olson finished 1 for 3 with one home run and one RBI. Michael Harris II was hit by a pitch later in the inning, and Mauricio Dubón grounded out softly to catcher J.T. Realmuto on batter interference. In the bottom of the sixth, Dubón lined out, Yastrzemski struck out, and Riley and Albies walked before Smith struck out. In the bottom of the eighth, Yastrzemski struck out, Riley flied out sharply, and Albies struck out.

Grant Holmes earned the win for Atlanta, improving to 11-6. He worked two innings, allowing one earned run on two hits with one walk and one strikeout. Didier Fuentes pitched a scoreless inning without allowing a hit or an earned run. Zack Wheeler started for Philadelphia and pitched four innings, allowing three hits and two earned runs. He walked three and struck out three. Jhoan Duran threw a scoreless inning for the Phillies with two strikeouts. Tim Mayza recorded one out without allowing a hit or an earned run. Aaron Nola took the loss for Philadelphia, falling to 7-13.

Atlanta’s bullpen combined to keep Philadelphia off the scoreboard for most of the night. Kerr, Sale and Fuentes each turned in scoreless outings. Holmes allowed one earned run but got the win. Duran and Mayza also pitched scoreless relief for Philadelphia. The Braves’ staff worked around six hits and did not allow a home run. Philadelphia’s staff also allowed six hits, but three of them left the ballpark.

Philadelphia pitchers combined for 14 strikes, 44 balls and 14 balls in play. Atlanta pitchers combined for 13 strikes, 55 balls and 13 balls in play. Both teams finished with six hits. Philadelphia’s final chances came in the ninth. Alec Bohm singled, but Bryson Stott popped out softly to third baseman Austin Riley in foul territory. Bryan De La Cruz struck out swinging, and Otto Kemp struck out swinging to end the game. Earlier in the seventh, De La Cruz lined out, Brandon Marsh grounded out and Realmuto grounded out. In the fifth, De La Cruz singled and Marsh walked before Crawford grounded into a double play.

The victory gave Atlanta its first winner-take-all postseason win since Game 7 of the 1996 NL Championship Series. The Braves had lost six straight winner-take-all games, the third-longest streak of all time. Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II were all part of Atlanta teams eliminated by Philadelphia in the 2022 and 2023 NL Division Series. Each of them homered in the clincher. Atlanta now moves on to face the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers. That series opens at Dodger Stadium on Saturday.

Interstat’s ELO system had projected Atlanta with a 51.6 percent probability to win before the game. The Braves will carry a 96-69 record into the NLDS, while the Phillies finish at 89-76. Atlanta’s win ended Philadelphia’s postseason run and sent the Braves into a matchup with Los Angeles.