The Phillies vs Braves series opened with a dramatic extra-inning battle at Truist Park, as Atlanta defeated Philadelphia 6-5 in 11 innings on Friday night, September 11, 2026. Drake Baldwin delivered the decisive walk-off double, sending Ha-Seong Kim home and giving the Braves another crucial victory in the division race.
The game featured several momentum swings, strong pitching performances and late-inning drama before Atlanta finally secured the win.
Braves Take Early Lead Behind Matt Olson
After a 45-minute weather delay, the game finally got underway with Chris Sale taking the mound for Atlanta and Aaron Nola starting for Philadelphia.
Sale quickly settled into the contest, striking out two of the first three Phillies hitters. Nola also retired the first two Braves batters, but Matt Olson then ended his two-week home run drought.
Olson sent a ball the opposite way that stayed fair and cleared the fence for his 38th home run of the season, giving Atlanta an early advantage.
Phillies Rally Against Chris Sale
Philadelphia eventually found an opening against Sale in the eighth inning. Edmundo Sosa started the rally with a single before Bryan De La Cruz walked and J.T. Realmuto was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Derek Hill then changed the game.
Hill drove Sale’s next pitch into the gap for a bases-clearing double, putting the Phillies in front. Sale recovered to strike out Kyle Schwarber, but Philadelphia had successfully turned the game around.
Despite the difficult inning, Sale remained highly effective overall. He completed seven innings with six strikeouts and two walks, allowing the Braves to stay within striking distance.
Austin Riley Brings Braves Back
Atlanta continued to battle against Nola, who also produced a strong outing. The Braves finally cut into the deficit in the seventh when Austin Riley crushed a sinker for a massive solo home run.
The blast traveled an estimated 434 feet and left the bat at 110 mph, bringing Atlanta within one run.
Philadelphia then turned to Jose Alvarado, who immediately showed his power by striking out Drake Baldwin and Ronald Acuña Jr., keeping the Braves from completing the comeback at that point.
Braves Tie the Game in the Ninth
The drama intensified in the ninth inning.
Mike Yastrzemski singled against Jonathan Bowlan, extending his perfect night at the plate to 3-for-3 with a walk. Sean Murphy followed with a hard-hit ball that allowed pinch-runner DaShawn Keirsey Jr. to race around the bases.
A defensive misplay in center field helped Keirsey score, tying the game at 4-4.
Atlanta had an opportunity to win in the ninth but could not finish the comeback, sending the Phillies – Braves matchup into extra innings.
Extra-Inning Chaos
Philadelphia regained the lead in the top of the 10th when Justin Crawford singled to bring home the automatic runner.
Atlanta answered immediately. Brewer Hicklen advanced to third on a groundout before Mauricio Dubon lifted a sacrifice fly deep enough to score him and tie the game again.
The 11th inning provided even more drama.
Bryce Harper reached after a difficult defensive play, and Ha-Seong Kim then delivered another clutch hit. Kim lined a 99 mph fastball through the left side for a go-ahead single, putting Philadelphia back ahead.
But Atlanta refused to go away.
Drake Baldwin Delivers Walk-Off
In the bottom of the 11th, the Braves needed another comeback.
With two outs, Ha-Seong Kim stepped up and crushed a hanging changeup into left field, tying the game once again. That set the stage for Drake Baldwin.
Baldwin battled Brooks Raley before connecting on a sweeper and sending it into the right-center-field gap.
Kim raced home and scored without a throw, completing Atlanta’s 6-5 walk-off victory.
The celebration at Truist Park capped one of the wildest games of the Braves’ season.
Braves Standings Receive Another Boost
The victory was particularly important for the Braves standings because Atlanta pushed its division lead over Philadelphia to five games.
The result gives Atlanta valuable momentum heading into the remainder of the series, while the Phillies will look to respond in the next matchup.
For fans checking the Braves score, the final was:
Braves 6, Phillies 5 — 11 innings
The Braves game today and the continuation of this divisional series will be closely watched after Atlanta’s dramatic opening win.
Phillies vs Braves Rivalry Continues
The Phillies vs Braves matchup once again demonstrated why these divisional games can be so unpredictable. Both teams received quality starting pitching, but late defensive plays, clutch hitting and extra-inning execution ultimately decided the result.
For Atlanta, Baldwin’s walk-off double will be the defining moment of the night. For Philadelphia, the challenge now is to bounce back quickly and prevent the Braves from building even more separation in the standings.
The Phillies vs Braves series continues Saturday evening, with both teams looking to gain another important result in the division race.
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