In an impressive display, the Atlanta Braves rallied to a 6-1 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night, with Spencer Schwellenbach recording a career-high 12 strikeouts and Sean Murphy hitting a grand slam. Schwellenbach demonstrated command on the mound, relinquishing just one run on three hits along with a lone walk over his seven innings, effectively using 64 of his 90 pitches as strikes.
Sean Murphy contributed significantly to the Braves’ offense, going 2 for 4 with a double. His highlight was a seventh-inning grand slam, marking his 10th homer of the season. Contributing as well, Austin Riley went 2 for 4 with a run batted in, and Nick Allen added a run-scoring single. This marked a rebound for the Braves, who had been unable to score in their two prior matches, including a staggering 13-0 loss during the series opener on Friday.
On the Phillies side, Jesús Luzardo, holding a record of 7-4, managed to give up two runs over seven hits and two walks during his five innings on the mound. Despite his efforts, which included seven strikeouts and leaving five runners stranded, the Phillies could not overcome their rivals.
Alec Bohm brought in Philadelphia’s lone run with a sixth-inning single, reducing Atlanta’s lead to 2-1 at that moment. However, Nick Castellanos was unable to capitalize on the momentum, flying out with two men on base to close the inning.
In a change to their usual lineup, the Braves gave center field duties to Eli White, benching a slumping Michael Harris II, who had started nearly every game this year but was struggling with a .212 batting average. White did not manage a hit, finishing 0 for 3 but did score a run.
A key moment in the game was undoubtedly Sean Murphy’s grand slam, stretching a narrow 2-1 lead to a decisive advantage with one out in the seventh inning. Taking the first pitch he faced from Jordan Romano, Murphy sent it 455 feet into left field. This was Murphy’s second career grand slam and the first of the season for the Braves. The grand slam followed consecutive singles from Marcell Ozuna, Austin Riley, and Ozzie Albies.
Notably, Matt Olson reinforced his consistent performance by extending his on-base streak to a career-best 29 games with a single in the first inning.
Looking ahead, the Braves’ Spencer Strider, with a 3-5 record and a 4.07 ERA, is set to pitch in the series finale on Sunday, facing off against the Phillies’ Ranger Suárez, who holds a 6-2 record and a 2.08 ERA.