Drake Baldwin’s Ninth-Inning Home Run Lifts Atlanta Braves Over Phillies 3-1, Avoiding Sweep in Philadelphia

Sunday, August 31st, 2025

Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies: Braves Avoid Sweep with Late Heroics

Drake Baldwin broke a ninth-inning tie with a dramatic two-run home run, lifting the Atlanta Braves to a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. With this win, the Braves managed to avoid a four-game sweep at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday night.

Game Recap

Rookie pitcher Hurston Waldrep delivered 5 2/3 strong innings for Atlanta, allowing just one run on four hits, striking out nine, and walking four. Jake Fraley provided an offensive spark off the bench, going 2-for-2 after entering in the seventh inning. Michael Harris II also tallied two hits for the Braves.

The Phillies struck first with a solo home run from Brandon Marsh. Philadelphia remains atop the NL East, holding a six-game advantage over the New York Mets heading into September.

Atlanta tied the game in the eighth inning on an RBI groundout by Matt Olson. In the ninth, Fraley led off with an infield single, reached second on a sacrifice bunt, and after Vidal Bruján struck out, Baldwin launched a 98 mph sinker into the left field seats to secure the win.

Baldwin initially drew a pinch-hit walk in the eighth and stayed in the game to catch. Tyler Kinley (4-3) handled a flawless eighth inning for the Braves, while Raisel Iglesias collected his 23rd save with a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out two.

Pitching Matchup

Braves rookie Hurston Waldrep has been impressive since being called up on August 2. For August, he has allowed only four earned runs over 35 2/3 innings and struck out 33 batters. Waldrep, selected 24th overall in the 2023 draft, now boasts a remarkable 1.01 ERA in his last six outings (five starts).

Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo held the Braves scoreless through 6 2/3 innings, yielding just two hits, striking out seven, and issuing one walk.

Key Moment

In the ninth inning, José Alvarado had a chance at the first out but was unable to handle Fraley's grounder near the mound. Phillies shortstop Trea Turner fielded the ball but couldn’t throw out Fraley in time, setting the stage for Baldwin’s game-winning home run.

Key Statistic

Hurston Waldrep allowed just four earned runs in 35 2/3 innings during August, with 33 strikeouts.

Up Next

The Braves travel to face the Chicago Cubs for a three-game series starting Monday afternoon. Atlanta is expected to start right-hander Spencer Strider (5-12, 4.95 ERA), while the Cubs are likely to counter with right-hander Colin Rea (10-6, 4.23 ERA).

The Phillies begin a three-game road set in Milwaukee against the Brewers on Monday. Right-hander Taijuan Walker (4-7, 3.63 ERA) is scheduled to start for Philadelphia, facing Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski (4-2, 4.33 ERA).

In summary

The Atlanta Braves snapped a potential four-game sweep by the Philadelphia Phillies with a clutch ninth-inning home run from Drake Baldwin, late-inning pitching heroics, and standout performances by rookies. Hurston Waldrep continues to shine in the Braves rotation, while the Phillies maintain a significant lead in the NL East. Both teams now look ahead to critical road series as the regular season enters its final month.

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