Thanks to a second look on replay, the Phillies got another chance to turn things around and avoided a sweep against the NL East champs.
Trea Turner took advantage of a tying hit after a third out was reversed on replay, and Alec Bohm came through with a two-run single in the seventh inning to help the Philadelphia Phillies rally past the Atlanta Braves 5-4 on Sunday.
“It was a stroke of luck that shifted the momentum back our way, and with our bullpen holding the lead, we could sense the win,” Bohm said. The win brought relief to the worried fans in Philly after the Braves convincingly won the first two games.
Atlanta seemed poised for a three-game sweep until a replay review in the seventh inning overturned a crucial call. With a 3-2 lead and a strong performance from Chris Sale in his Braves debut, reliever Aaron Bummer (0-1) appeared to induce Johan Rojas into a double play to end the inning.
But upon review, Rojas was ruled safe, overturning the call by first base umpire Clint Vondrak, and the crowd erupted in cheers. Kyle Schwarber started the inning with a leadoff homer, and Turner followed with a tying single. Bohm then drove in two more runs with a single that eluded diving left fielder Adam Duvall, giving the Phillies a 5-3 lead.
“Rojas beating the throw was the turning point of the game,” manager Rob Thomson remarked. Gregory Soto retired Matt Olson with his first pitch in the eighth inning, leaving the tying run stranded at third after the Braves closed within a run.
José Alvarado, who struggled on opening day, secured the save in the ninth inning. Ranger Suárez and five relievers combined to limit the Braves to seven hits after their explosive start in the first two games. Matt Strahm (1-0) pitched a scoreless seventh for the win.
The fortunate turn of events that led to the Phillies’ first win was a sigh of relief for the team. Additionally, the news that Bryce Harper was seemingly uninjured after a fall over a railing the previous day provided further reassurance. Harper was given a day off against the Braves’ tough left-handed pitcher, Chris Sale.
