Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves Scores, Stats and Recap – October 1, 2026 Gametracker

ATLANTA (AP) After hitting two double plays in the Atlanta Braves’ loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday, Michael Harris II was eager for a chance to redeem himself.

He didn’t have to wait long.

Harris hit a three-run homer in the first inning, Chris Sale came out of the bullpen on an off day to get the final four outs and the Braves beat the Phillies 6-2 Thursday night in the deciding Game 3 of their National League Wild Card Series.

Surprise starter Ray Kerr pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings for Atlanta, and Ozzie Albies launched a two-run homer in the fourth. Matt Olson added a solo shot in the seventh as the Braves advanced to a best-of-five division series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“I told our guys, ‘Man, all year long, when the stakes were the highest, when the challenges were the hardest, we were at our best. “So it doesn’t surprise me that we played the way we did tonight,” Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said.

Harris hit .426 with two home runs and five RBIs in his first eight career postseason games, but he wanted to get past the two double plays in Wednesday’s 10-inning 4-3 loss that forced Thursday night’s game.

“I just found a pitch to put my best swing on and hopefully we got some runs out of it, and we did,” said Harris, who connected with Aaron Nola.

The Braves won a playoff series for the first time since winning the 2021 World Series and earned their first playoff victory against the Phillies. Philadelphia defeated Atlanta in the 1993 NL Championship Series and the 2022 and 2023 NLDS.

“It’s really amazing to win against the Phillies because they’re the ones who sent us home in previous years, especially at home,” Albies said.

After winning the NL East by six games against Philadelphia this year, the Braves also won in their playoff game.

“These guys have kind of gone from start to finish in this division,” Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said. “Over the course of 162 (games), they were the best team in our division.”

Nola was pulled after allowing three runs in 1 2/3 innings. He walked Ronald Acuña Jr. and Olson with one out first before giving up the home run to Harris,

Kerr made his playoff debut in just his fourth career start. Weiss wanted a lefty to face Phillies left-handed hitters Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper at least once.

Mattingly agreed that Kerr throwing long enough to face Schwarber and Harper twice was a perfect scenario for a Braves victory.

“Obviously it’s nice,” Mattingly said. “When you’re in that situation where you can cross your lefties up top again, that’s probably the best case scenario, and he was able to do that.”

Kerr allowed only one hit – to Schwarber in the first – and one walk – to Schwarber in the fourth. Right-hander Grant Holmes followed Kerr and allowed one run in two innings to earn the victory.

Kerr left to a standing ovation from the sellout crowd and acknowledged the cheers by raising his arm as he approached the dugout.

“I hope Ray Kerr became a household name tonight,” Weiss said. “He deserves it.”

Sale, 37, who started Atlanta’s 5-3 victory in the series opener Tuesday, struck out Harper to end the eighth and closed the series in the ninth by retiring Bryan De La Cruz and pinch hitter Otto Kemp.

The left-handed ace threw 95 pitches in 6 1/3 innings Tuesday. Two days later, he threw 21 pitches in his first relief appearance of the year.

Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler, the winning pitcher in Sunday’s 7-3 win over Tampa Bay that clinched the wild-card spot, walked Austin Riley in the fourth before giving up Albies’ homer to right field that gave Atlanta a 5-0 lead. Wheeler allowed two runs in four innings. Jonathan Bowlan, Philadelphia’s fourth pitcher, gave up Olson’s home run to center field.

Kerr, 32, has thrived in the playoff spotlight. He only started nine games after being recalled by Atlanta on August 16. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2024 and did not pitch in 2025.

Kerr said he was told Wednesday that he would start Thursday.

“It was fun. It was a journey,” Kerr said of his return to the majors. “I’ve dreamed of things like this. For it to actually come true, I haven’t figured it out yet.”

Philadelphia’s 2022 World Series loss to Houston began a streak of five straight postseason appearances with increasingly rapid exits – the NL Championship Series, two NLDS exits and now the Wild Card Series loss.

“If you don’t win the last game, it’s a crash landing no matter what. It doesn’t matter where it is,” Mattingly said.

The game drew a sellout crowd of 41,731 after the Braves failed to sell out the first two games of the series, with school and work conflicting with the 2:15 p.m. first pitch for many fans. The afternoon starts also hurt attendance at other Wild Card Series games this week.

Advertised attendance at Truist Park was 30,127 on Tuesday and 37,150 on Wednesday.

Edmundo Sosa remained in the Phillies’ starting lineup at third base after appearing to aggravate a groin injury while running toward first base and left Wednesday’s game in the ninth inning. Weiss said Braves right-hander Tyler Mahle, who allowed just one run in seven innings Wednesday despite feeling an abdominal pull during pregame warmups, was feeling pretty good Thursday.

The Braves will play at Dodger Stadium on Saturday in their Division Series opener against the two-time defending World Series champions.

—

See the AP’s complete MLB coverage here