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With Game 1 in the books, the Philadelphia Phillies trail the Atlanta Braves by a 1-0 lead in the National League Wild Card Series, and the Phillies will be facing an elimination game on Wednesday.
Coming into the game on Tuesday, it was hard to know what to expect from Phillies starter Jesus Luzardo. The southpaw was able to go five innings and allowed just one run. Considering he only threw four pitches in his return from the injured list on Sunday, it was a really impressive showing for the left-hander.
However, with a lead in the eighth inning and needing just six more outs to secure a massive Game 1n win, closer Jhoan Duran struggled in his second inning of work.
With the top of the order coming up in the seventh inning and the heart of the order in the eighth, Don Mattingly went to Duran early. Unfortunately, while he was able to get through the seventh with ease, a three-run home run by Austin Riley in the eighth inning gave the Braves a 5-3 lead.
Game 1 is of the utmost importance in these short Wild Card series. The winner of the first game has gone on to win the series 15 out of 16 times. For the Phillies, they will now be facing an uphill climb of trying to accomplish something only one other team has so far. Here’s how to watch Game 2 on Wednesday.
Who: Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves
When: Wednesday, September 30th, 2:00 PM EST
Where: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
Television: NBC/Peacock
Radio: 94 WIP, 106.1 Rumba, ESPN Radio
Sep 25, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez (61) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
With their season on the line, the Phillies will be turning to one of their two aces in this game. It has been another fantastic campaign for Cristopher Sanchez, and with everything being on the line in this one, Philadelphia needs a great start from him.
Due to the uncertainty in the bullpen, seven innings from the southpaw would be ideal in this one. However, the Phillies are likely going to need to find a way to finish this game off, and they might have to get a bit creative with using Andrew Painter or perhaps even Zack Wheeler.
Furthermore, while all eyes will be on what they do with the bullpen, the lineup is also going to have to come through. Philadelphia saw some good things from this group on Tuesday, but they need their stars to produce with elimination staring them in the face.
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