Atlanta Braves Defeat Phillies 5-4 as Ronald Acuña Jr. Reach Historic Milestone with Game-Tying Homer
PHILADELPHIA — Ronald Acuña Jr. delivered a dramatic game-tying three-run homer in the eighth inning and watched the Atlanta Braves complete a late rally for a 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, pushing the Braves’ lead in the National League East to five games.
Acuña Joins Hank Aaron in Braves History Books
Acuña crushed a 100.5 mph fastball from Phillies reliever Alex McFarlane into the right-field seats in the top of the eighth to tie the score at 4-4. The fans at Citizens Bank Park greeted him with boos as he rounded the bases slowly — a reaction the Braves slugger welcomed.
“I love the fans from Philly because they boo me,” Acuña said after the game, according to MLB.com. “So, that’s motivation.”
The homer marked Acuña’s 16th of the season and, more significantly, his 1,000th career hit. He joined Hank Aaron as the only player in Braves history to reach the combined milestone of 1,000 hits, 200 home runs, and 200 stolen bases — a testament to his rare two-way impact despite recent injury setbacks.
Ninth-Inning Rally Secures Braves’ NL East Advantage
Philadelphia wasted a strong outing from starter Aaron Nola, who allowed one run on four hits over seven innings. Nola has now gone eight consecutive starts permitting three runs or fewer, his longest such streak since 2019.
But the Phillies’ effort unraveled in the ninth. Ozzie Albies reached on a double off closer Jhoan Duran (2-5), and Austin Riley followed with a triple off the center-field wall, giving Atlanta the go-ahead run.
Kyle Schwarber provided Philadelphia’s power with his MLB-leading 42nd home run, while pinch-hitter Derek Hill added a solo shot — his 10th of the season — but it wasn’t enough.
What This Means for the Braves’ Season
The win extends Atlanta’s divisional cushion and puts pressure on the Phillies as the race for the NL East title intensifies. Acuña’s return to form — mixing prodigious power with historic consistency — remains central to the Braves’ championship aspirations.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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