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10/01 23:43 CDT Braves hit 3 homers and Chris Sale closes out 6-2 win over Phillies to win Wild Card Series Braves hit 3 homers and Chris Sale closes out 6-2 win over Phillies to win Wild Card Series By CHARLES ODUM AP Sports Writer ATLANTA (AP) --- After hitting into two double plays during the Atlanta Braves' loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday, Michael Harris II was eager for an opportunity to make amends. He didn't have to wait long. Harris hit a three-run homer in the first inning, Chris Sale came out of the bullpen on one day of rest to get the final four outs and the Braves beat the Phillies 6-2 on Thursday night in the decisive Game 3 of their National League Wild Card Series. Surprise starter Ray Kerr threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings for Atlanta, and Ozzie Albies launched a two-run homer in the fourth. Matt Olson added a solo shot in the seventh as the Braves advanced to a best-of-five Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. "I told our guys, `Man, all year long when the stakes have been the highest, when the challenges have been the toughest, we've been at our absolute best.' So it doesn't surprise me that we played the way we did tonight," Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said. Harris has hit .426 with two homers and five RBIs in his first eight career postseason games, but he wanted to move past the two double plays in Wednesday's 4-3 loss in 10 innings that forced Thursday night's game. "Just found one pitch to put my best swing on and hopefully we got some runs out of it, and we did," said Harris, who connected off Aaron Nola. The Braves took a postseason series for the first time since winning the 2021 World Series and earned their first playoff series win against the Phillies. Philadelphia beat Atlanta in the 1993 NL Championship Series and the 2022 and 2023 NLDS. "Definitely feels amazing to win against the Phillies because they were the ones that sent us home previous years, and especially at home," Albies said. After winning the NL East by six games over Philadelphia this year, the Braves came out on top in their postseason matchup, too. "Those guys kind of went start to finish in this division," Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said. "Over the course of the 162 (games), they were the best team in our division." Nola was pulled after allowing three runs in 1 2/3 innings. He walked Ronald Acua Jr. and Olson with one out in the first before giving up the homer to Harris, Kerr made his postseason debut in only his fourth career start. Weiss wanted a left-hander to face Phillies left-handed hitters Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper at least once. Mattingly acknowledged that Kerr pitching long enough to face Schwarber and Harper twice was a perfect script for a Braves win. "Obviously, it's nice," Mattingly said. "When you're in that situation where you can run through your lefties again at the top is probably the best-case scenario, and he was able to do that." Kerr allowed only one hit --- to Schwarber in the first --- and one walk --- to Schwarber in the fourth. Right-hander Grant Holmes followed Kerr and allowed one run in two innings to earn the win. Kerr left to a standing ovation from the sellout crowd and acknowledged the cheers by lifting up his arm as he approached the dugout. "Hopefully, Ray Kerr became a bit of a household name tonight," Weiss said. "He deserves it." The 37-year-old Sale, who started Atlanta's 5-3 win in Tuesday's series opener, struck out Harper to end the eighth and closed out the series in the ninth by striking out Bryan De La Cruz and pinch-hitter Otto Kemp. The ace left-hander threw 95 pitches over 6 1/3 innings Tuesday. Two days later, he threw 21 pitches in his first relief appearance of the year. Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler, the winning pitcher in Sunday's 7-3 victory over Tampa Bay that clinched the wild-card spot, walked Austin Riley in the fourth before giving up Albies' homer to right field that gave Atlanta a 5-0 lead. Wheeler allowed two runs in four innings. Jonathan Bowlan, Philadelphia's fourth pitcher, gave up Olson's homer to center field. Kerr, 32, flourished in the postseason spotlight. He pitched in only nine games after being recalled by Atlanta on Aug. 16. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2024 and didn't pitch in 2025. Kerr said he was told Wednesday he would start on Thursday. "It was fun. It was a journey," Kerr said of his path back to the majors. "I've dreamed about stuff like this. For it to actually happen, I still haven't even processed yet." Philadelphia's 2022 World Series loss to Houston began a streak of five straight postseason appearances with progressively quicker exits --- the NL Championship Series, two NLDS exits and now the Wild Card Series loss. "If you don't win the last game, it's a crash landing no matter what. It doesn't matter where it is," Mattingly said.

Night game brings quick sellout The game drew a sellout of 41,731 after the Braves fell short of sellouts in the first two games of the series, with school and work conflicting with the 2:15 p.m. first pitch for many fans. Afternoon starts also hurt attendance in other Wild Card Series games this week. The announced attendance at Truist Park was 30,127 on Tuesday and 37,150 on Wednesday.

Injury update Edmundo Sosa remained in the Phillies' starting lineup at third base after he appeared to aggravate a groin injury running to first base and left Wednesday's game in the ninth inning. Weiss said Braves right-hander Tyler Mahle, who allowed only one run in seven innings on Wednesday despite feeling an abdominal pull in pregame warmups, was "feeling pretty good" on Thursday.

Up next The Braves will play at Dodger Stadium on Saturday in the opening game of their Division Series against the two-time defending World Series champions. ___ See AP's full MLB coverage here

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