Riley Homer Gives Braves Game 1 Wild Card Win

Atlanta beat Philadelphia 5-3 on Sept. 29, 2026, at Truist Park in NL Wild Card Game 1 when Austin Riley hit a three-run opposite-field homer off Jhoan Duran in the eighth. Interim manager Don Mattingly brought the Phillies closer into the seventh with a 3-2 lead. Duran pitched a scoreless seventh and got two outs in the eighth before Michael Harris II singled, Duran hit Ozzie Albies, and Riley homered. Duran threw 27 pitches in two innings, allowed three runs and took the loss. He allowed two homers in 61 regular-season games and converted 33 of 35 saves, with one multi-inning outing; the Phillies bullpen had a 5.79 September ERA, worst in the majors. Mattingly said the choice was the spot not a matchup, Duran made the first inning look easy, and he would have checked with him on a quick eighth or gone to someone else. Duran said after throwing the first inning he was told to be ready for another and went back out to do his work. Mattingly said the team had its best guy out there and lives with the late loss. Left-rated coverage led with Mattingly explaining the call; right-rated coverage led with the decision backfiring. Cristopher Sánchez starts must-win Game 2, with Duran's status to be checked the next day.