Alec Bohm’s 10th-Inning Homer Saves Phillies, Forces Wild Card Game 3

Alec Bohm hit a two-out solo home run in the 10th inning as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 4-3 on Wednesday, September 30, keeping their season alive and forcing a winner-take-all Game 3 in the National League Wild Card Series.

Bohm drove a 1-1 fastball from Didier Fuentes 357 feet to the opposite field at Truist Park. It was his third career postseason homer and his first in the playoffs since 2023, completing a comeback that began when Philadelphia entered the eighth inning trailing 3-1.

Phillies erase late two-run deficit

Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper opened the eighth with back-to-back home runs against Dylan Lee, turning a two-run deficit into a 3-3 tie. It marked the Phillies’ first set of consecutive postseason homers since Aaron Rowand and Pat Burrell did it against Colorado on October 3, 2007.

Harper’s home run also answered a difficult defensive moment. His misread of Drake Baldwin’s fly ball in the seventh helped Atlanta take the lead before Matt Olson added a sacrifice fly. Harper responded immediately at the plate, following Schwarber’s homer with the tying shot.

The late power surge spoiled a strong postseason debut by Braves starter Tyler Mahle. Despite suffering an abdominal pull during warmups, Mahle worked seven innings and allowed one run on six hits and one walk while striking out six.

Andrew Painter finishes postseason debut

Andrew Painter entered for Philadelphia in the eighth and delivered three scoreless innings in his postseason debut. The Braves put the potential tying and winning runs on base with two outs in the bottom of the 10th, but Painter struck out pinch hitter Dominic Smith after an ABS challenge confirmed the final pitch.

Phillies starter Cristopher Sánchez allowed three runs on six hits and five walks across 6⅔ innings, striking out six. Atlanta stranded 11 runners and failed to score after loading the bases with one out in the sixth inning.

Philadelphia had opened the scoring in the first when Harper singled home Trea Turner. Olson tied the game in the bottom half, then Atlanta moved ahead with two runs in the seventh before Schwarber, Harper and Bohm changed the game with three late home runs.

Winner-take-all Game 3 next

The best-of-three series is now tied 1-1, with Game 3 scheduled for Thursday in Atlanta. The winner advances to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series.

For the Phillies, the season came down to six outs before their biggest hitters responded. Bohm’s swing then ensured the series — and Philadelphia’s postseason — would continue for at least one more day.