Phillies Let Game 2 Slip Away, Lose 5-4 in Atlanta

The goal going into the 2 games in Atlanta was to split the games and come back to Philly tied 1-1. The Phillies accomplished that. But after the way game 2 started, coming home with a loss is hard to swallow. The Phillies got out to a 4-0 lead. Zack Wheeler was throwing a no-hitter through 5 innings. But then things started to fall apart, and the Phillies wound up dropping game 2.

First Acuna scores on an error by Trea Turner, his 2nd of the game. Then Travis d'Arnaud hits a 2 run blast off Wheeler the next inning. One inning after that, Austin Riley put the Braves up with a two-run shot of his own. And the Phillies could not make the comeback in the top of the 9th.

They had a chance. Harper walked to lead off the inning. And then after a JT realmuto fly out, Nick Castellanos hit a shot to center field. Off the bat, it looked like it could be a game-tying double. But Michael Harris disagreed. He made a great catch, and Harper, thinking it was a hit off the bat, got doubled off trying to get back to 1st. That was all she wrote, with the Phillies losing 5-4.

Winning game 1, and losing game 2 with Wheeler on the mound, thanks in part to an awful error, is exactly how the series went last year. But you can't blame any fans who are disappointed given how this one was blown. Too many runners stranded on base, and two bad pitches that were both hit a mile, spoiled the night for the Phillies.

They get the day off and will return to Philly to play games on Wednesday and Thursday. Aaron Nola is set to pitch for the Phillies in game 3, with the Braves yet to name a starter. That game starts at 5:07, on TBS.

The Phillies are back in the NLDS. After beating the Marlins in the Wild Card Round, they are moving on to face the Braves. This exact matchup went very well for the Phillies last year. It started with them winning game 1 in Atlanta. Then they got to Spencer Strider in game 3, with an unforgettable bat spike by Rhys Hoskins. And closed it out in game 4 with another HR Derby, including an inside-the-parker by JT Realmuto. But both teams look a bit different than last year, even if the core for each side still looks the same. And there are lots of new faces on the 26-man Roster this time around.

Game 1- Saturday- Oct 7th- TBD In Atlanta

Game 2- Monday- Oct 9th- TBD- In Atlanta

Game 3- Wednesday- Oct 11th- TBD- In Philly

Game 4 (if needed)- Thursday- Oct 12- TBD- In Philly

Game 5-(if needed)- Saturday- Oct 14th- TBD- In Atlanta

In the Wild Card Series, the Phillies elected to keep fewer pitchers, to add another righty, Weston Wilson, onto the 26-man roster. Mostly because the Marlins are capable of throwing a lot of tough lefty pitchers at you. The Braves do have Max Fried, but their rotation and bullpen are more righty-heavy than the Marlins are. So the approach in constructing the 26-man roster for the NLDS is a bit different. It starts with Weston Wilson being less likely to be there for this series.

So who will make it? And how have each of those guys performed this season? Here are the 26 guys who will be on the roster for the series against the Braves. Along with each of their season stats, and their stats vs. the Braves this year.

Season Stats

.252/.310/.452/.762

20 HRs, 28 2Bs, 5 3Bs, 63 RBIs, 70 Runs, 16 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.194/.250/.333/.583

1 HR, 2 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 2RBIs, 4 Runs, 0 SBs

Season Stats

.293/.401/.499/.900

21 HRs, 29 2Bs, 1 3B, 72 RBIs, 84 Runs, 11 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.244/.397/.578/.974

5 HRs, 0 2B, 0 3B, 9 RBIs, 10 Runs, 1 SB

Season Stats

.280/.329/.419/.747

15 HRs, 32 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 62 RBIs, 78 Runs, 31 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.220/.273/.380/.653

1 HR, 5 2Bs, 0 3B, 8 RBIs, 5 Runs, 4 SBs

Season Stats

.266/.320/.459/.778

26 HRs, 35 2Bs, 5 3Bs, 76 RBIs, 102 Runs, 30 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.204/.272/.370/.642

2 HRs, 3 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 7 RBIs, 7 Runs, 4 SBs

Season Stats

.274/.327/.437/.765

20 HRs, 31 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 97 RBIs, 74 Runs, 4 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.262/.319/.381/.700

1 HR, 2 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 7 RBIs, 1 Run, 0 SB

Season Stats

.277/.372/.458/.829

12 HRs, 25 2Bs, 6 3Bs, 60 RBIs, 58 Runs, 10 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.286/.362/.452/.814

2 HRs, 1 2B. 0 3B, 5 RBIs, 7 Runs, 1 SB

Season Stats

.302/.342/.430/.771

2 HRs, 9 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 23 RBIs, 24 Runs, 14 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.286/.333/.571/.905

1 HR, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 RBIs, 4 Runs, 2 SBs

Season Stats

.272/.311/.476/.788

29 HRs, 37 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 106 RBIs, 79 Runs, 11 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.294/.345/.608/.953

4 HRs, 2 2Bs, 1 3B, 9 RBIs, 8 Runs, 0 SBs

Season Stats

.197/.343/.474/.817

47 HRs, 19 2Bs, 1 3B, 104 RBIs, 108 Runs, 0 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.184/.344/.327/.671

2 HRs, 1 2B, 0 3B, 5 RBIs, 8 Runs, 0 SB

Season Stats

.251/.293/.427/.719

10 HRs, 15 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 30 RBIs, 34 Runs, 4 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.154/.154/.231/.385

0 HRs, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 RBIs, 1 Run, 0 SBs

Season Stats

.238/.319/.417/.736

2 HRs, 7 2Bs, 1 3B, 11 RBIs, 12 Runs, 2 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.000/.143/.000/.143

0 HRs, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 RBIs, 0 Runs, 0 SBs

Season Stats

.238/.319/.417/.736

2 HRs, 7 2Bs, 1 3B, 11 RBIs, 12 Runs, 2 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.000/.143/.000/.143

0 HRs, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 RBIs, 0 Runs, 0 SBs

Season Stats

.204/.274/.283/.557

1 HR, 4 2Bs, 1 3B, 12 RBIs, 15 Runs, 2 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.000/.000/.000/.000

0 HRs, 0 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 0 RBIs, 0 Runs, 0 SB

Season Stats

3.61 ERA, 13-6, 212 Ks, 192 IPs, 1,08 WHIP

Stats vs Braves

3.32 ERA, 2-0, 21 Ks, 19 IPs, 1.00 WHIP

Season Stats 

4.46 ERA, 12-9, 202 Ks, 193.2 IPs, 1.15 WHIP 

Stats vs Braves 

3.50 ERA, 0-0, 20 Ks, 18 IPs, 1.11 WHIP 

Season Stats

4.18 ERA, 4-6, 119 Ks, 125 IPs, 1.42 WHIP

Stats vs Braves

1.5 ERA, 0-0, 7 Ks, 6 IPs, 1.00 WHIP

Season Stats

4.38 ERA, 15-6, 138 Ks, 172.2 IPs, 1.31 WHIP

Stats vs Braves

6.00 ERA, 1-0, 6Ks, 12 IPs, 1.67 WHIP

Season Stats

3.44 ERA, 3-5, 96 Ks, 99.1 IPs, 1.05 WHIP

Stats vs. Braves

5.56 ERA, 0-2, 12 Ks, 11.1 IPs, 1.94 WHIP

Season Stats

4.18 ERA, 9-9, 111 Ks, 153 IPs, 1.21 WHIP

Stats vs. Braves

11.12 ERA, 1-1, 6 Ks, 11.1 IPs, 2.12 WHIP

Season Stats

3.26 ERA, 23 Saves, 94 Ks, 69 IPs, 1.04 WHIP

Stats vs Braves

1.50 ERA, 3 Saves, 7 Ks, 6 IPs, 0.83 WHIP

Season Stats

1.74 ERA, 10 Saves, 64 Ks, 41.1 IPs, 1.16 WHIP

Stats vs. Braves

2.25 ERA, 0 Saves, 5Ks, 4 IPS, 1.25 WHIP

Season Stats

4.62 ERA, 3 Saves, 65Ks, 60.1 IPs, 1.14 WHIP

Stats vs. Braves

8.31 ERA*, 0 Saves, 6 Ks, 4.1 Innings, 1.84 WHIP

*Most of that 8.31 came off one bad out in May, Soto has given up 1 run over his last 3 outings vs the Braves*

Season Stats

2.41 ERA, 1 Save, 69 Ks, 52.1 IPs, 0.92 WHIP

Stats vs. Braves

7.2 ERA, 0 Saves, 5 Ks, 5 IPs, 1.80 WHIP

Season Stats

3.29 ERA, 2 Saves, 108 Ks, 87.2 IPs, 1.02 WHIP

Stats vs Braves

1.69 ERA, 1 Save, 3 Ks, 5.1 IPs, 0.94 WHIP

Season Stats

3.78 ERA, 2 Saves, 48 Ks, 50 Ks, 50 IPs, 1.40 WHIP

Stats vs. Braves

0.00 ERA, 0 Saves, 3Ks, 3.2 IPs, 0.30 WHIP

Season Stats

0.00 ERA, 0 Saves, 6 Ks, 3.0 IPs, 1.33 WHIP

Stats vs Braves

Has Not Faced the Braves