Chris Sale helps Atlanta close out Phillies, advance to NLDS vs. Dodgers

After hitting into two double plays during the Atlanta's loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday, Michael Harris II was eager for an opportunity to make amends.

He didn't have to wait long.

Harris hit a three-run homer in the first inning, Chris Sale came out of the bullpen on one day of rest to get the final four outs and Atlanta beat the Phillies 6-2 on Thursday night in the decisive Game 3 of their National League Wild Card Series.

Surprise starter Ray Kerr threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings for Atlanta, and Ozzie Albies launched a two-run homer in the fourth. Matt Olson added a solo shot in the seventh the team advanced to a best-of-five Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"I told our guys, 'Man, all year long when the stakes have been the highest, when the challenges have been the toughest, we've been at our absolute best.' So it doesn't surprise me that we played the way we did tonight," Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said.

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Harris has hit .426 with two homers and five RBIs in his first eight career postseason games, but he wanted to move past the two double plays in Wednesday's 4-3 loss in 10 innings that forced Thursday night's game.

"Just found one pitch to put my best swing on and hopefully we got some runs out of it, and we did," said Harris, who connected off Aaron Nola.

Atlanta took a postseason series for the first time since winning the 2021 World Series and earned their first playoff series win against the Phillies. Philadelphia beat Atlanta in the 1993 NL Championship Series and the 2022 and 2023 NLDS.

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"Definitely feels amazing to win against the Phillies because they were the ones that sent us