Braves Battle, Fall Short to Phils in Game 2

ATLANTA — Following a big 7-5 victory in the series opener Tuesday night, the Braves took the field Wednesday under clear skies, looking to secure a series win against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Grant Holmes, who allowed four runs over four innings in Los Angeles last week, was in search of his first win of the 2025 season. Atlanta was also hoping for a more efficient outing than it got from Chris Sale on Tuesday. Sale, who was honored pregame with a ceremony recognizing his 2024 awards — including the National League Cy Young — gave up four runs in the first three innings of that game.

The 29-year-old former first-round pick opened his evening strong, striking out Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner to begin the first inning. After issuing a two-out walk to Bryce Harper, Holmes notched his third strikeout of the frame by fanning Alec Bohm.

Both teams remained quiet through the early innings. In the bottom of the third, the Braves threatened with back-to-back two-out singles from Ozzie Albies and Marcell Ozuna. After Taijuan Walker fell behind 3-1 to Matt Olson and issued a walk, Austin Riley stepped in with the bases loaded. Riley, who drove in the go-ahead run Tuesday night, popped out to Harper in shallow right to end the inning.

Holmes ran into trouble in the fourth after allowing a pair of singles but escaped with a strikeout of Brandon Marsh. He was lifted in the fifth, and Aaron Bummer delivered 1 1/3 scoreless innings before giving way to Pierce Johnson in the sixth with one out and a runner on following Max Kepler’s second hit of the night.

Johnson got a scare on a deep fly ball from Nick Castellanos but escaped with help from the defense. However, singles from J.T. Realmuto and Bryson Stott later in the inning gave Philadelphia a 1-0 lead.

The Braves responded in the bottom half. After walks to Sean Murphy and Jarred Kelenic, Orlando Arcia delivered an RBI single to tie the game. Michael Harris II followed with a sacrifice fly to put Atlanta ahead 2-1. Harris has been a productive and selfless situational hitter in the series, logging a game-tying sac fly, a go-ahead sac fly and a sacrifice bunt.

The Phillies retook the lead in the seventh behind a bloop single from Turner and a two-run blast to right-center from Harper.

Once again, the Braves answered. Riley crushed a 107 mph solo homer to left in the bottom of the seventh, tying the game at 3. After leaving the bases loaded twice earlier, he came through in a big spot.

Daysbel Hernandez entered in the eighth and, with a runner on second and two outs, induced a groundout to Matt Olson to escape the jam and keep the game tied heading into the bottom of the frame.

Raisel Iglesias, who notched his first save of the season Tuesday, entered in the ninth with the game still tied. After striking out Schwarber to open the inning, Iglesias surrendered a solo home run to Turner that put the Phillies back on top. He rebounded to strike out both Harper and Bohm — the latter finishing his night with a golden sombrero (0-for-4 with four strikeouts).

In the bottom of the ninth, Jose Alvarado — who had recorded the final out in the eighth — stayed on to close. He won a 10-pitch battle against Albies with a groundout to second, but Ozuna followed with a single to left. After striking out Olson, Alvarado faced Riley, who kept the inning alive with a single that moved pinch-runner Stuart Fairchild to third. With the tying run 90 feet away, Alvarado struck out Murphy to seal the win for Philadelphia.

The Braves let this one slip away and will look to bounce back in the series finale Thursday night.  Spencer Schwellenbach (1-0, 0.00 ERA) is scheduled to face Jesús Luzardo (2-0, 1.50 ERA).