Bohm's 10th-inning homer forces Game 3, but Braves eliminate Phillies 6-2 in decider

The Phillies staged one of the more emotionally complete comebacks of the postseason in Game 2 — erasing a deficit with back-to-back home runs, surviving their own defensive blunders, and winning in ten innings on an Alec Bohm blast. Twenty-four hours later, Atlanta answered with a 6-2 rout in the decisive Game 3, ending Philadelphia's season and sending the Braves to the Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Braves took a postseason series against the Phillies for the first time, snapping a streak in which Philadelphia had beaten Atlanta in the 1993 NL Championship Series and the 2022 and 2023 NLDS. Michael Harris II's three-run homer in the first inning of Game 3 set the tone, and the Phillies never recovered.

Game 2, played Wednesday afternoon at Truist Park, had been a different story entirely. The Phillies trailed 3-1 heading into the eighth inning, their season teetering after a 5-3 loss in the series opener. Then Kyle Schwarber led off the eighth against Braves reliever Dylan Lee — the winning pitcher from Game 1 — and drove a 3-2 slider 447 feet to right field. Bryce Harper followed with a 418-foot shot on a 1-1 slider to tie the game at 3-3.

Kyle had a great at-bat, and then I wasn't not trying to hit a homer, I can tell you that.— Bryce Harper, Phillies outfielder

Those were the first two home runs Lee had surrendered to left-handed batters all season. Two innings later, Bohm stepped in against right-hander Didier Fuentes with two outs in the top of the tenth and hit a 357-foot solo shot to right field — his third career postseason home run — to give Philadelphia a 4-3 lead it would not relinquish.

The win required a remarkable performance from 23-year-old rookie Andrew Painter, who entered in the eighth inning with the game tied and threw three scoreless innings. He stranded two runners in the tenth and ended the game by striking out Dominic Smith after the Phillies won an ABS challenge.

The afternoon had been defined as much by defensive failure as by offensive heroism. In the seventh inning, with the game tied 1-1, Bohm failed to record an out on a bunt — allowing Sean Murphy to reach second base. Drake Baldwin then lifted a fly ball that Harper misplayed into a double, scoring Murphy and giving Atlanta a 2-1 lead. Matt Olson followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1. Statcast registered Baldwin's ball with an .080 expected batting average — a ball that, by the numbers, should have been caught.

Obviously a world of emotion there. I didn't think he hit it very hard and I realized he only hit 89 (mph exit velocity), so I thought it was going to be a pop fly just right at me and then it kind of kept traveling. Obviously a ball I should have caught.— Bryce Harper, Phillies outfielder

Harper has been playing right field again only since the trade deadline, when the Phillies acquired Luis Arraez and rearranged their infield — moving Bohm from third to first and Harper from first back to the outfield for the first time since 2022. Arraez, who rolled his ankle at the end of the regular season, was not on the Wild Card Series roster.

Schwarb, Harp, after we give up those two, they got momentum. And to be able to get that back right away was huge.— Don Mattingly, Phillies interim manager

Bohm's home run carried particular weight beyond the box score. He had started the season in a prolonged slump amid a legal dispute with his parents over misused funds — a matter that was settled several weeks ago. He was benched for two games in early May before rebounding to hit .274 with a .773 OPS and 73 RBIs over his final 120 games, finishing with 88 RBIs on the season.

This guy has been through the wringer this year, on and off the field. No person or player or anybody should have to go through those situations. I've played with him for a long time, and for him to have that moment, in that situation — I'm super proud of him, super happy for him.— Bryce Harper, Phillies outfielder

The joy lasted less than a day. In Game 3 on Thursday night, the Braves sent out left-hander Ray Kerr — making his postseason debut in just his fourth career start — specifically to neutralize Schwarber and Harper. Kerr allowed only one hit, to Schwarber in the first inning, and one walk, also to Schwarber in the fourth, before leaving to a standing ovation from a sellout crowd of 41,731. Right-hander Grant Holmes followed with two innings to earn the win.

Phillies starter Aaron Nola was pulled after just 1⅔ innings, having allowed three runs — including Harris's first-inning three-run homer off a walk to Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson. Zack Wheeler, pitching on short rest, gave up Ozzie Albies's two-run homer in the fourth to push Atlanta's lead to 5-0. Jonathan Bowlan surrendered Olson's solo shot in the seventh. Chris Sale, the Game 1 starter, closed out the ninth.

Those guys kind of went start to finish in this division. Over the course of the 162 (games), they were the best team in our division.— Don Mattingly, Phillies interim manager

If you don't win the last game, it's a crash landing no matter what. It doesn't matter where it is.— Don Mattingly, Phillies interim manager

The Braves will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Division Series, opening Saturday at Dodger Stadium. For the Phillies, the loss extends a streak of five consecutive postseason appearances that have ended progressively earlier, from a World Series loss in 2022 to back-to-back NLDS exits and now a wild-card elimination. Bohm is set to become a free agent this winter.

Why it matters — The Braves' series win ends a run of three straight postseason losses to the Phillies and sends Atlanta to face the Dodgers, while Philadelphia's increasingly early playoff exits raise questions about the team's roster construction heading into an offseason that includes Bohm's free agency.

Reported by foxnews.com, cbssports.com, sports.yahoo.com, nbcsportsphiladelphia.com, cnn.com