Walt Weiss Has Full Confidence in Atlanta Braves After Win Over Phillies

The Atlanta Braves opened the postseason with a comeback win. Atlanta erased a 3-2 deficit in the eighth inning and beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park, putting Walt Weiss' team one win away from advancing.

Weiss did not hold back when asked about his club after the game. "When the stakes are the highest and the challenges are the toughest, that's when we've been at our best," Weiss said (via Connor Hines of Atlanta News First). "Our guys just rise to the occasion."

Chris Sale gave the Braves 6 1/3 innings with nine strikeouts, but J.T. Realmuto's two-run triple in the seventh put Philadelphia ahead 3-2 and put Atlanta in a hole.

The Braves then had to find a way against Jhoan Duran, one of the Phillies' most trusted relievers.

Michael Harris started the eighth-inning rally with a single, and Ozzie Albies reached after being hit by a pitch.

Austin Riley then delivered the biggest swing of the day, sending a pitch from Duran over the right-center-field wall for a three-run homer and a 5-3 lead. It was Riley's sixth career postseason home run.

Closer Raisel Iglesias closed it out despite allowing a leadoff single in the ninth, escaping the threat with a 6-4-3 double play before getting the final out.

It was Atlanta's first postseason win over Philadelphia since the Phillies eliminated the Braves in the 2023 NLDS. The comeback was also another moment for Weiss in his first season managing the club.

He took over after Brian Snitker stepped down and already knew the organization well after spending eight seasons as the bench coach. That familiarity has helped him navigate a team that dealt with a ton of rotation injuries while still finishing 94-68 and winning the NL East.

Tyler Mahle is scheduled to start Game 2 on Wednesday. A win sends Atlanta through to the NLDS and a date with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Braves have the home-field advantage, the momentum and now a manager who clearly has his team believing in itself when it matters most.

The Phillies will send Cristopher Sanchez to the mound for Game 2, which sets up a tough left-on-left matchup for several Atlanta hitters.

But after Tuesday, the Braves have every reason to believe they can handle whatever Philadelphia throws at them. Weiss has a team that he has full confidence in to move on.