Braves Stage Late Rally to Edge Phillies 5-4, Extend NL East Lead

Ronald Acuna Jr hits landmark 1000th hit

Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley provided the late game heroics on Sunday afternoon, fueling a dramatic late comeback as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4. With the victory, the Braves extended their division lead in the NL East to five games over their division rivals.

Acuña Hits Milestone Home Run in Eighth-Inning Surge

Trailing late in the game, the Braves shifted momentum in the top of the eighth inning against Phillies reliever Alex McFarlane. After McFarlane recorded the first out, Mike Yastrzemski singled and Drake Baldwin doubled to set up two runners in scoring position. Acuña then stepped into the box and took seven consecutive fastballs over 100 mph from McFarlane. On the seventh pitch, he crushed a 100.5-mph heater deep into the right field seats for a game tying three-run home run, his 16th of the season.

The blast snapped a dominant stretch for McFarlane, who had not allowed a single run since August 11 his only run allowed since earning a call-up in July. Beyond changing the game’s momentum, the home run marked a major milestone for Acuña: it was his 1,000th career MLB hit. With the blast, he joined Hall of Famer Hank Aaron as the only players in Braves franchise history to achieve 1,000 hits, 200 home runs, and 200 stolen bases.

Riley Delivers Go-Ahead Triple in Ninth to Seal Win

The Braves kept the momentum going in the top of the ninth against Phillies closer Jhoan Duran (2-5). Ozzie Albies got things started by hustling out a double, setting the stage for Austin Riley. Riley hit a RBI triple off the centerfield fence, bringing Albies home to give Atlanta the decisive 5-4 lead.

Dylan Lee (6-0) earned the win in relief after starter Tyler Mahle delivered six solid innings, allowing two unearned runs. Raisel Iglesias came on in the bottom of the ninth to lock down his 31st save of the season.

Phillies Offense Wastes Strong Start from Nola

The late-game collapse overshadowed a stellar outing by Philadelphia starter Aaron Nola, who yielded just one run on four hits across seven innings. Nola has now gone eight consecutive starts allowing three runs or fewer, marking his longest such streak since 2019.

Philadelphia briefly held control in the seventh inning thanks to power hitting. Kyle Schwarber launched a solo shot his MLB-leading 42nd home run of the year and pinch hitter Derek Hill added his 10th home run of the season to give the Phillies a brief cushion before Atlanta‘s rally.