Austin Riley’s 3-run homer off Jhoan Duran rallies Braves past Phillies 5-3 in NLWCS opener

ATLANTA (AP) — Austin Riley hit a three-run homer off All-Star closer Jhoan Duran in the eighth inning and the Atlanta Braves rallied past the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 on Tuesday in the opener of a best-of-three National League Wild Card Series.

Duran (0-1), who allowed just two homers in 61 regular-season games, gave up a single to Michael Harris II before hitting Ozzie Albies with a pitch. Riley drove the go-ahead blast over the wall in right-center field. Harris had three hits.

Braves ace Chris Sale dueled for much of the game against left-hander Jesus Luzardo, who was sharp after missing the last couple weeks of the regular season with left shoulder inflammation.

J.T. Realmuto’s two-run triple off Sale in the seventh inning gave Philadelphia a 3-2 lead.

The Braves can clinch the series on Wednesday and end the Phillies’ history of postseason success in the NL East rivalry. Philadelphia beat Atlanta in the 1993 NLCS and the 2022 and 2023 NLDS.

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Charles Odum, The Associated Press