Michael Harris II Powers Braves Past Phillies, Into NLDS

Michael Harris II hit a three-run home run in the first inning and the Atlanta Braves never looked back, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 on Thursday, October 1, at Truist Park to win their National League Wild Card Series.

Harris drove a 2-0 sinker from Aaron Nola just over the right-center-field wall after Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson opened the inning with walks. The decisive swing gave Atlanta an immediate 3-0 lead in the winner-take-all Game 3 and sent the Braves into the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Harris turns a low pitch into the decisive blow

Nola struggled to locate from the outset, walking Acuña and Olson on five pitches each. Even after falling behind Harris 2-0, the right-hander could not escape. Harris reached down for a sinker only 1.11 feet above the ground and lined it out at 100.5 mph.

It was the lowest pitch Harris has homered on in his major-league career, including the postseason, and the third-lowest postseason home-run pitch since pitch tracking began in 2008.

The moment carried added weight for the Atlanta-area native. Harris entered the decisive game after going 3-for-3 in Atlanta’s Game 1 victory, when his eighth-inning infield single helped start the rally that ended with Austin Riley’s go-ahead three-run homer.

Albies and Olson add insurance

Philadelphia turned to ace Zack Wheeler in relief, but Ozzie Albies greeted him with a two-run homer in the fourth inning to extend Atlanta’s lead to 5-0. Matt Olson added a solo shot off Jonathan Bowlan in the seventh, giving the Braves three home runs and all six of their runs.

The Phillies managed one run before Trea Turner’s sacrifice fly in the eighth completed the scoring. Philadelphia never recovered from the early deficit and saw its season end one night after Alec Bohm’s 10th-inning homer had forced the deciding game.

Atlanta’s pitching plan worked despite entering Game 3 without a conventional rested starter. Left-hander Ray Kerr opened the game and struck out Bryce Harper in the first inning before the Braves managed the middle innings with their bullpen.

Braves advance to face Dodgers

The 6-2 victory gave Atlanta the best-of-three series two games to one and completed a postseason win over its National League East rival. The Braves now move on to face the Dodgers in the NLDS.

For Harris, the series ended as it began: with the center fielder at the center of Atlanta’s biggest rallies. His first-inning homer gave the Braves control of Game 3 before Philadelphia could record its first out on defense, and Atlanta never surrendered it.