There was just one game on October 1, as the Phillies/Braves series was the only one in the Wild Card Round to require a third game. Thanks to three home runs and strong pitching, the NL East champion Braves knocked out the Phillies to advance in the 2026 MLB playoffs.
Braves win NL Wild Card Round
The Braves ousted the Phillies with a 6-2 victory in Game 3 of the 2026 NL Wild Card Round.
Aaron Nola started the winner-take-all game for Philly. And after letting two runners on in the first, Michael Harris II belted an outside sinker out for a three-run shot, putting the Braves up for good in this one.
Ozzie Albies hit a solo home run off Zack Wheeler, who worked four innings of relief, in the fourth. Matt Olson hit a home run in the seventh off Jonathan Bowlan.
Ray Kerr was the opener for the Braves, although he wound up giving the club 3.1 innings of work. Grant Holmes and three others worked the game into the eighth, when Chris Sale took over and got the final four outs.
It’s the first time that the Braves defeated the Phillies in a postseason series. Atlanta will go to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers in the NLDS.
D-Backs to extend Lovullo
The Diamondbacks retained Torey Lovullo and extended him for two more years, giving the longtime manager another shot at making it back to the playoffs.
Arizona has not been back to the postseason since the club made it to the World Series in 2023. But it’s not been for a lack of trying. The Diamondbacks were eliminated on the final day of the season in two of the last three seasons.
This year, Arizona was eliminated after the Phillies won on September 27, after the D-Backs clawed their way back in it over the final week. And in 2024, the D-Backs were bounced on the final day plus one by the Mets and Braves.
What’s ahead?
The ALDS and NLDS, which will start on October 3.
In the American League, Chicago will face Cleveland, and New York takes on Tampa Bay. San Diego/Milwaukee and Atlanta/Los Angeles are the two NLDS matchups.
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