Braves rise from the dead, stun Phillies in Game 2

The Braves looked as if they were dead to rights. Coming off Game 1 in which they were shut out at Truist Park for the first time since August of 2022, Game 2 somehow started off even more discouraging.

The long layoff due to a blister issue on his throwing hand clearly had a negative effect on Max Fried. He never looked comfortable on the mound, and the Phillies took advantage early, scratching across three runs in the first four innings before Brian Snitker turned to the bullpen.

Typically, three runs for this Braves offense is far from insurmountable, but given who was on the mound for the Phillies and the way he was marching through Atlanta’s order, it felt like not only Game 2 was over, but so was the series.

By the time Fried exited, Zack Wheeler still had yet to allow a hit. He had eight strikeouts through the first four innings, and the only baserunner to reach was Matt Olson on an error by Trea Turner. Wheeler was pitching as well as he had pitched all season, and the Phillies were able to add another run off of Kirby Yates in the fifth inning.

It wasn’t until the sixth that the Braves finally showed some life. Ronald Acuna Jr. reached on a two-out walk, which was followed by a hard-hit ball to right field off the bat of Ozzie Albies. Acuna was able to go from first to third, but another bobble by Trea Turner allowed Acuna to scoot home, putting the Braves on the board and lighting up Truist Park for the first time in the entire series.

Those lapses in execution really turned out to be the difference in the ball game. This one, in particular, gave a dead team life, and the Braves were able to really make things interesting on this two-run shot off the bat of Travis d’Arnaud, which cut the lead to one.