Harper rebounds from gaffe, sets up Bohm's season-saving HR — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 4-3 in 10 innings Wednesday in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card series, forcing a deciding Game 3 on Thursday
- Bryce Harper misplayed a fly ball in the 7th inning that let Atlanta break a 1-1 tie with two runs, then crushed a tying home run in the 8th inning to atone; teammate J.T. Realmuto said 'once Schwarber hit that home run, you just felt like Bryce was going to do the same'
- Alec Bohm hit the deciding home run off Didier Fuentes in the 10th — a 357-foot shot that 'kind of rattle[d] against the fence above the wall,' per Bohm
- The contest marked the first MLB playoff game to end on a challenge, with Realmuto successfully contesting a ball call on Andrew Painter's 99 mph fastball to Dominic Smith, which was overturned to a strikeout
- Braves pitcher Tyler Mahle went seven innings allowing one run with six strikeouts, outpitching Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez, a leading NL Cy Young candidate
- Andrew Painter earned the win with three innings of relief despite starting shakily with six consecutive balls; Realmuto called it a 'career-altering performance'
- Bohm, entering free agency after posting his lowest wins above replacement since 2021, had fielded Ha-Seong Kim's sacrifice bunt poorly two batters before Harper's error, contributing to Atlanta's rally before his game-winning redemption
Why it matters: The Phillies' Game 2 win keeps their season alive for a deciding Game 3 on Thursday, but top reliever Jhoan Duran was unavailable after surrendering the Game 1 walk-off homer to Austin Riley — manager Don Mattingly offered only 'I hope' when asked about Game 3 availability. Bohm's walk-off injects career-defining theater into his free-agent sendoff and gives Philadelphia momentum heading into the rubber match.
Ask SkimNews
