Braves fall to Phillies in extra innings

PHILADELPHIA — Instead of taking advantage of the chance to legitimize their bid for a seventh straight National League East title, the Braves squandered two sixth-inning leads during a four-game series that concluded with a 3-2, 11-inning loss to the Phillies on Sunday night at Citizens Bank Park.

“There’s no way to sugarcoat it now,” first baseman Matt Olson said. “It sucks losing the series.”

Having lost three of four to first-place Philadelphia, Atlanta now sits seven games back in the division with just 25 games to play. In other words, the focus has to be on what has become a tight Wild Card race. The Braves have just a one-game lead over the Mets in the battle for the NL’s final postseason entry.

“This [series loss] doesn’t change what we’re doing going forward,” Olson said. “We’ve got a month left. It’s the same boring answer: Show up tomorrow expecting a win, and do that every day over the rest of the season.”

And if the Braves are fortunate enough to gain a playoff spot, would they welcome facing the Phillies in the postseason for a third straight year?

“Absolutely,” manager Brian Snitker said. “I hope we can. I’d love nothing else than to see them again because that means we’re in.”

The roles would likely be reversed if these two rivals meet again in October. The Phillies finished 14 games behind the Braves in both of the past two regular seasons. But none of that mattered as they needed just four games to eliminate Atlanta from the best-of-five NL Division Series in both 2022 and ‘23.

“Yeah, it’s always fun playing against [the Phillies],” catcher Travis d’Arnaud said. “They’re a great team. They know how to play together, and they have fun.”

After losing six of the first nine games played against Atlanta this year, Philadelphia had most of the fun this weekend. The Braves squandered a four-run sixth-inning lead on Thursday night and then won Friday thanks to Reynaldo López’s strong start and Orlando Arcia’s two homers. Philadelphia ace and suburban Atlanta native Zack Wheeler dominated his hometown team on Saturday, and the Braves wasted a few opportunities before Nick Castellanos got the best of rookie reliever Grant Holmes for the second time in four days with a walk-off single in Sunday’s finale.

“It was a missed spot,” d’Arnaud said. “What can you do? It happens over 162 [games]. It just didn’t go our way.”

Opposing pitchers have thrown Castellanos a breaking ball or offspeed pitch 54.8 percent of the time this year because he handles the fastball well. Holmes was reminded of this Thursday night when he threw the Phillies slugger two straight heaters and watched the second one leave the yard for a decisive home run.

With two outs in the 11th on Sunday, Holmes’ choice to throw Castellanos a 1-2 fastball wasn’t as bad as the pitch’s location. After the outfielder fouled a pair of sliders, including one below the zone, the Braves reliever threw a center-cut fastball that was ripped up the middle to end the game.

“[Holmes has] got weapons to get him out,” Snitker said. “He’s a good match for him. It didn’t work out. That’s one of the things we didn’t execute.”

The Braves wasted another spectacular two-inning scoreless outing from closer Raisel Iglesias, who has allowed just six hits over the 29 1/3 consecutive scoreless frames he has thrown dating back to June 18.

Arcia was unsuccessful with his attempt to at least produce a sacrifice fly with one out and the bases loaded in the ninth. Snitker also made the questionable decision to pinch-hit Adam Duvall for Eli White with the ghost runner at second and one out in the 10th. Duvall struck out and is now 4-for-39 with 17 strikeouts against right-handed pitchers since the All-Star break.

“I was going with the more experienced guy,” Snitker said. “He’s been struggling. He hasn’t had a lot of at-bats. He’s working his tail off. I don’t want that game to end with him sitting there in that situation.”

This was far from the series the Braves were hoping to experience. But it might not be the last time they get to compete in what has become one of baseball’s best rivalries.

“You enjoy playing the good teams,” Olson said. “That happens to be a really good one over there in our division. You play to play against the best.”