Home Runs Last Night, Small-Ball Tonight in Phillies’ 2-1 Win
Aug 29, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves infielder Matt Olson (28) is tagged out at home against Philadelphia Phillies catcher Rafael Marchan (13) in the fifth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Coming off a nine-home run game the night before, the Phillies’ offense was sluggish. They faced Bryce Elder, who’s posted a near 6.00 ERA on the season and a 6.63 ERA in his last 7 starts. Despite his recent struggles, he dueled with the likes of Ranger Suarez, who has returned to his dominant form.
Suarez got knocked around through his five innings pitched, giving up 10 hits, though limiting the damage to only one run. His 93 pitches through five would ultimately take him out of the game. His foe, Elder, lasted longer in the game due to three first-pitch outs and early swings from the Phillies. But the Braves bullpen would not hold on, and the Phillies, with their small-ball antics, pushed two runs across the board to win 2-1.
The Braves struck first — as they had the night before — with Jurickson Profar‘s single in the second inning. Suarez worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first, and the second inning was certainly going the same direction. Though a Matt Olson double play abruptly stopped any momentum.
Through Suarez’s start, there was a runner in scoring position in every inning, but he never lost composure and battled through — at the expense of his pitch count.
The Phillies’ defense can be credited for keeping their starter in as well. They garnered two double-play ground balls to end the inning, and Nick Castellanos made an excellent throw that gunned down Olson at the plate.
Castellanos’ throw kept it a tied ballgame in the fifth as the Phillies tagged a run in the fourth with a little small-ball. Bryce Harper laid a bunt down with the defense shifted towards the right side, and a Brandon Marsh single scored Kyle Schwarber from second base.
A mix of David Robertson, Matt Strahm, Orion Kerkering, and Jhoan Duran handled the rest of the game for the Phillies. They went a combined 4 innings with three strikeouts and two hits allowed.
A solid showing from the bullpen.
As for the Braves, Elder ended the seventh inning and would not return. Dylan Lee, who started the eighth, got into trouble with back-to-back singles, and an Alec Bohm sac-fly later, the Phillies led 2-1.
The bats were starting to heat up.
The Phillies loaded the bases against Pierce Johnson, Lee’s replacement, but couldn’t tack on another insurance run.
Duran was called in to shut the door on a beautiful Friday night of baseball. He retired the side with two strikeouts — both coming from the Braves’ 1 and 2 hitters in the lineup.
Duran completed the save, his 24th of the season and seventh in a Phillies uniform.
A combined effort from the bullpen and Suarez held the Braves lineup to only one run, and the small-ball offense provided the two runs necessary to win. Quite the opposite of last night’s win.
Sean Regenye
Sean Regenye is a sophomore broadcast journalism major at Penn State University. He is a die-hard Philly sports fan and loves baseball, especially the Phillies.
Get new articles emailed right to your inbox.
