The Atlanta Braves split a four-game set with the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Atlanta Braves split their four-game set against the Philadelphia Phillies, dropping the series finale Monday at Citizens Bank Park. Braves starter Grant Holmes did his job, limiting Philadelphia's lineup across six scoreless innings while striking out six and making a strong case for a postseason rotation spot.
Unfortunately for Atlanta, Phillies left-hander Jesus Luzardo was even more dominant, throwing his first career complete game shutout in a 1-0 win that ended the series on Philadelphia's terms.
Still, Atlanta did what they needed to do in the four-game set. They retained their four-game division lead over Philadelphia, which is effectively five games considering the Braves hold the tiebreaker. The chances of Atlanta dropping the division over the final month are now incredibly slim even with the two sides set to meet again for another three-game set this weekend. After the game, Weiss put the series result in perspective.
"It would have been great to take three out of four, but winning that game yesterday, that was a pivotal win," Weiss said, per MLB.com's Mark Bowman. "You want to win the series, but all things considered, not a bad outcome."
The win Weiss referenced on Sunday was one of the more dramatic comebacks of Atlanta's season. Down 4-1 in the eighth inning, Ronald Acuna Jr. launched a three-run game-tying blast and the Braves eventually took the lead in the ninth inning to secure the victory against their division rivals.
What matters more to Atlanta right now is securing a top-two seed in the National League and earning a first-round bye. They currently sit two full games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are riding a five-game winning streak, making it important for the Braves to get back on track quickly. Their upcoming series against the Tampa Bay Rays, the best team in the American League, will not make that an easy task.
Atlanta will turn to AJ Smith-Shawver, Reynaldo Lopez and Martin Perez for that series. Lopez will make his first start in over a month, taking the spot of Bryce Elder who is managing a knee issue and has had his start pushed back. The Braves would not face Tampa Bay unless both teams meet in the World Series, but that remains a genuine possibility if each earns a first-round bye.
After the Rays series, Atlanta will host the Phillies again in what should be another fiercely competitive set. Monday's finale was a reminder that when these two face each other nothing comes easy, and that dynamic should carry straight into October.
