Third baseman Austin Riley helped save the Braves in Game 2, sparing his team a disastrous scenario of a 0-2 deficit in the National League Division Series.
The Braves trailed the Phillies 4-3 with two outs in the eighth inning. Riley faced Jeff Hoffman with Ronald Acuña in scoring position. These are the moments that decide series and define championship teams. These are the moments in which some players wilt and others thrive.
Six pitches later, Acuña and Riley touched home plate.
Riley scooped a low 89-mph slider and sent it into the left-field seats. Truist Park, lifeless for most of the evening as the Braves’ offensive struggles persisted, ascended into euphoria. The Braves had emerged from a 4-0 hole to take the lead.
“Just trying to put up a competitive at-bat,” Riley said. “At the end of the day, you’re not trying to do too much, and just try to be in the moment. I actually stepped out and looked over (to hitting coach Kevin Seitzer), and I sometimes overstride in big moments and get too amped up, and he just kind of was telling me to calm down. I was just trying to put a barrel on the ball. That’s all it was.”
It was Riley’s greatest postseason moment since his walk-off hit against the Dodgers in the 2021 NL Championship Series. The Braves, of course, went on to win the World Series that season.
“It’s definitely up there with my top ones,” Riley said. “Like I said, for me, it’s the crowds that do it, how loud it gets, fighting with this team, just unbelievable. Unbelievable team. Obviously, still a lot of work to do. Just going to enjoy this one tonight.”
It was the 11th go-ahead homer in the eighth inning or later in Braves postseason history, and the first since Juan Uribe’s in Game 4 of the 2013 NLDS.
“Austin is not a stranger to it,” starter Max Fried said. “He’s had a walk-off base hit in the NLCS. The moment is never too big for him. He’s one of the guys that we really, really want up in that situation. For him to be able to get a pitch and do something with it, with a big swing, I couldn’t be happier for him.”
It wasn’t just Riley’s swing that made the night memorable. He was pivotal to the Braves turning their game-ending double play that will be replayed for years to come. Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos crushed a pitch off Raisel Iglesias to deep center. Phillies baserunner Bryce Harper took off from first, thinking the ball would clear center fielder Michael Harris II, but Harris made a tremendous catch. Harper had already passed second base and started retreating.
The part that might’ve been overlooked in the moment: The incoming throw just eluded second baseman Ozzie Albies, but Riley had backed him up. He retrieved the ball and fired a perfect throw to first to get Harper and end the game.
Riley: “I think the only reason I was in the position that I was because I was screaming one (throw to first base) and momentum just kept pulling me that way. And it ended up just being right spot at the right time.”
“Great play by Austin,” manager Brian Snitker said. “Great play by Michael, No. 1, but then the wherewithal of Austin to continue to watch the play and make the big out.”
Outfielder Kevin Pillar on the game’s thrilling ending: “I think the play that’s getting (expletive) lost – sorry (for) my language – is Riley being there to back it up. That’s one of those plays that you just have to have a good baseball I.Q. You don’t assume anything.”
It wasn’t Riley’s only good defensive play either. It’s lost amid the madness, but he produced a crucial out in the sixth. Harper was hitting with two Phillies on base and one out. He popped a ball far into left-field foul ground, and Riley tracked it down at the tarp to make an over-the-shoulder grab. It wasn’t an easy play for any third baseman to cover that much ground, be aware of his surroundings and then make a challenging catch.
This is such an important series for the Braves. Beyond the obvious, they’re trying to avenge their ousting from a year ago, when the Phillies defeated them in four games. Like most of the Braves, Riley had a disappointing series. He went 1-for-15 with five strikeouts. He already has two hits this time around.
Riley’s best postseason stretch came in 2021. He went 18-for-65 (.277) with five doubles, two homers and eight RBIs.
“You try and learn with every opportunity that you’re given, good or bad,” Riley said. “Just try to move forward, try to grow from it. Just trying to be the most complete human being and competitor and baseball player I can be. And luckily the Lord willing, He put me in a position to help the team win tonight.”
The Braves and Phillies play the Game 3 Wednesday in Philadelphia. The series is now a best-of-three.
