ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies will meet in a winner-take-all Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series after Philadelphia rallied to win Game 2 in extra innings. Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper hit back-to-back home runs off Dylan Lee in the eighth inning right after Atlanta had taken the lead, and Alec Bohm homered off Didier Fuentes in the 10th to decide the contest. The loss spoiled a gutsy seven-inning, one-run start from Tyler Mahle in his first career Postseason start.
Manager Walt Weiss revealed after the game that Mahle was a game-time decision with an abdominal issue. "We had a scare before the game. He felt an abdominal pull. We didn't know if he was going to make the start," Weiss said. He added the uncertainty lasted until just before first pitch. "We weren't sure. It was right at game time after he came out of the bullpen," Weiss said. "He ended up working through it, and it got better as the game went on. But we were scrambling early on."
Weiss defended his late-inning bullpen choices after Lee surrendered the back-to-back shots and Fuentes allowed the decisive homer, his second hard-luck outing after giving up a big triple to J.T. Realmuto in Game 1. "When you're a late-inning reliever, these things happen," Weiss said. "I've seen some great ones that this has happened to. I saw one of the greatest. I was at shortstop when Kirk Gibson did his thing off [Dennis Eckersley,] one of the greatest closers of all time. It comes with the territory when you're pitching late in close games. Every once in a while, they get you." On Lee, Weiss was unequivocal: "Lee is our high-leverage lefty," he said. "[He] put down the same part of the order yesterday pretty easily. Threw the ball really well yesterday. So no, that's his inning every time."
Weiss also backed pinch-hitter Dominic Smith, who got the call in the 10th inning. "Dom is a really good pinch-hitter and it's a professional at-bat," Weiss said. "I think thought there was a good chance he may even draw a walk there and pass the baton to Yaz. Just felt good about Dom in that situation. He's come through for us." Atlanta had earlier missed a chance when Michael Harris II grounded into a double play against Cristopher Sánchez with the game tied in the sixth. The series now turns to a decisive Game 3 with the winner advancing to Los Angeles, following Atlanta's 5-3 win in Game 1.