Phillies did unthinkable vs. Braves in Game 1 NLDS win

Philadelphia Phillies starter Ranger Suarez Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Phillies did the unthinkable vs. Braves in Game 1 NLDS victory

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 10/8/23

The Philadelphia Phillies did the unthinkable on Saturday, shutting out the vaunted Atlanta Braves offense, 3-0, to take a 1-0 advantage in the National League Division Series.

With a day between Game 1 and Game 2, the Phillies exhausted their bullpen, using seven different pitchers to silence the Braves bats. For the Braves, it's the first time they've been held scoreless at home since August 28, 2021.

The Braves hadn't been held without a run in a game since May, riding a streak of 124 games, the second-longest in franchise history, per ESPN Stats and Info.

Atlanta struck out eight times as a team and finished 0-of-5 with runners in scoring position, leaving seven on base in total. Ranger Suarez started the game for the Phillies, pitching 3.2 innings of one-hit ball before being pulled after throwing only 53 pitches.

The curious decision worked out, as Jeff Hoffman struck out Michael Harris II – the only batter he faced – to get out of a two-out jam with two runners on in the fourth inning.

BIG strikeout from Jeff Hoffman

Philly up one after 4 pic.twitter.com/eudrQdl2Pa
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) October 7, 2023

From then on, Seranthony Dominguez, Jose Alvarado, Orion Kerkering, Matt Straham and former Brave Craig Kimbrel combined to pitch the next five innings, allowing four hits and a walk with three strikeouts.

Backed by lights-out pitching, the Phillies offense did just enough to win Game 1, powered by an RBI single from second baseman Bryson Stott, a solo home run from Bryce Harper and a controversial catcher's interference call which drove in their third run of the night in the top of the eighth.

The Phillies' all-hands-on-deck approach to their pitching decisions in Game 1 shut down a Braves offense coming off arguably one of the best seasons statistically in the game's history. It goes to show that you can't always predict baseball and you rarely know what to expect, regardless of what even recent history says.

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