ATLANTA — Michael Harris II hit a three-run home run in the first inning, Ray Kerr threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings and the Atlanta Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 on Thursday night in the decisive Game 3 of their National League wild-card series.
Ozzie Albies hit a two-run home run in the fourth and Matt Olson added a solo shot in the seventh for the Braves, who advance to a best-of-five division series against the two-time-defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Braves won 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 NLCS and the 2022 and 2023 NLDS.
Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola was pulled after allowing three runs in 1 2/3 innings. Nola walked Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson with one out in the first before giving up the home run to Harris, who hit into two double plays in Wednesday’s 4-3 loss in 10 innings which forced Thursday night’s game.
Kerr made his postseason debut in only fourth career start. Braves manager Walt Weiss wanted a left-hander to face Phillies left-handed hitters Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper at least once.
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.
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Kerr left to a standing ovation from the sellout crowd and acknowledged the cheers by lifting up his arm as he approached the dugout.
Left-hander Chris Sale, the starter in the Braves’ 5-3 win in Tuesday’s series opener, struck out Harper to end the eighth and closed out the win in the ninth by striking out Bryan De La Cruz and pinch hitter Otto Kemp.
Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler, the winning pitcher in Sunday’s 7-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays that clinched the wild-card spot, walked Austin Riley in the fourth before giving up Albies’ home run to right field that gave the Braves a 5-0 lead. Wheeler allowed two runs in four innings. Jonathan Bowlan, the Phillies’ fourth pitcher, gave up Olson’s home run to center field.
Kerr, 32, flourished in the postseason spotlight. He pitched in only nine games after being recalled Aug. 16. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2024 and didn’t pitch in 2025.
The Phillies’ 2022 World Series loss to the Houston Astros began a streak of five straight postseason appearances with progressively quicker exits — the NL Championship Series, two NLDS exits and now the wild-card loss.