BRAVES vs. PHILLIES- Official Full Game Highlights (September 4) - 2026 MLB Season

Well the stage is set here in Philadelphia P.A. Biggest series of the year to date for both of these teams the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies. They will play seven times in the next 10 days and Atlanta right now with a four game lead as they start this four game series here at Citizens Bank Park. You got Christopher Sanchez and Christopher sale. This is the premier pitching matchup across Major League Baseball tonight. Don't get any better than this. What a way to kick off this series with these two left handers who are both absolutely dealing this matchup is as we said epic it's two Cy Young Award candidates Christopher's numbers this year. He's trying to become the first major league pitcher to 17 wins. He and Sonny Gray each have 16 victories. He's gone over the 200 strikeout level level with two or two in his last outing against the Anaheim Angels time for the next chapter in this great rivalry. Couple of fan bases that don't like each other very much. And these two teams about to see each other seven times in the next 10 days. And away we go for this showdown at Acuna waste no time. First pitch out to right center he's going to head for second and slide in safely with a lead off double a statement double to start the series for Acuna and Atlanta. And when it comes to Sanchez as good as he is statistically his worst inning is the first inning he has a four eighty two first inning ERA and it's an opportunity to jump on him right here in the first inning and a nice job by Drake Baldwin getting Acuna to third base with one down that'll bring up Ozzie all these swing at a ground ball back to the mound Acuna Junior will hold up at first and all these is retired to big outs so one three put out two down it's in the hands of Matt Olsen. Here's Matt Olsen not out of the woods bouncer softly right side charging as a rise arise bare hands and throws just in time and Sanchez gets out of the jam here in the first inning in a phenomenal season for Chris sale and we know he loves these moments he has pitched now four times as a brave in this ballpark two and oh one point four eight ERA and I don't doubt that he's very much looking forward to this game here tonight this one is in play sale takes it and Olsen covers one down two away now a couple of first round picks from back in 2010 Chris sale facing Bryce Harper different challenge tonight for Harper of course against a really good left hander with that thirty five game on base streak Fandon got it with a nasty slider first strike out of the game for sale it's a one two three first we go to the top of the second no score the lead off walk and here comes Mauricio Dubon. Ground ball and that is through split between Sosa and Turner and to one with nobody out here the second for Atlanta no contact there one down after the strikeout and here comes Austin Riley another guy who has struggled by and large all season but always dangerous Riley the other way a soft single but it is through Tommy Watkins is going to wave him in and Harper misplays it so Thomas scores easily and Atlanta draws first blood here in Philadelphia. Well now they're at first and third as Dubon goes from one side of the diamond to the other and only one down Kim bounces it to the left side this will get another run home so two to nothing and with a one two pitch coming for Kim to put that ball in play and get run number two and that's a big deal for Atlanta down the second base for Austin Riley with two down and back to the top of the order Acuna out to left center. This is going to bring in the third run here in the second inning and Atlanta three home but to play three really against any of the starters for Philadelphia but to do it against Sanchez here at home where he has been so dynamic and he comes in with only a two five two ERA but the Braves get three off of here in the second inning. He's with a lot of work to do. Chris Sayle on the mound with a three nothing lead here in the second and Luis Arise will start it opposite way base hit down the left field line Arise is thinking two out of the box. He puts the brakes on as Thomas gets to it quickly and the Phillies have the leadoff hitter board here in the second. That's a good start. No runner at first for Alec Bohm three nothing Braves in the bottom of the second inning. It's this one out toward left center field. It was a hangar on the run as Thomas said it's going to be off the base of the wall. Arise right a few to please around third heading for home and the Phillies are on the board. It's an RBI double for Bohm. It's a three one ball game. And what a perfect response by the Philadelphia Phillies after going down three runs. I mean they weren't going to lay down now with nobody out in a man at second. There's another critical run to try to get home here for the Phillies that hit him. They'll put runners on first and second sale slip hit him down to the foot trying to throw him a slider to the back foot. And he really did. Love to see the Phillies take advantage of that. Nobody outrunners on first and second ground ball sale has it to second for one double play. Well for a brief moment Chris looked a third thinking about going that way. Instead he starts a one four three double play and played his position perfectly there. Two down runner third base for J.T. Romito Romito batting eighth in their order hitting two twenty two on the season and their strikeout number two tonight. Another filthy slider three to one the Braves lead it bottom of the third inning Derrick Hill leads off to two in the air to left Lane Thomas going back to the warning track a leap into the air and he holds on great play by Lane Thomas going back when Abel was able to get back to the warning track a leap into the air and held on and into the left field wall. Schwab are putting up a really good battle versus sale. This is one batter after Derrick Hill had a lengthy battle and flied out to left field. It's going to be a ten pitch at that at minimum thirty two pitches for the other nine hitters. Sixteen for him. Here's your payoff. He struck him out. It took ten pitches but sale strikes out Schwab three one Braves bottom of the third two down bases empty Turner with a fly ball to deep center field Dubon going back. He's at the warning track back pedaling and he jumps up into the air and brings it down. He was twisting right then twisted left and for a second looked like he was fool but he's able to make the play out in deep center field. It's a one two three third. That'll bring up Alec Bowe who doubled home around in the second inning hit it to the base of the wall just to the right of the three eighty seven side. That one's drilled out toward left field. Thomas is back. It is gone into the first home solo home run makes this a one run game. Three hundred fifty eight feet. It was just enough for his fifteenth home run. Alex seen two pitches. He's got a double on a slider and a home run on a fastball. I mean he jumps all over this. Boy that got out in a hurry. Talk about jumping off the bat. Mercy you don't see too many players have two swings like that against Chris Salem the same game. But that tip to Alec Bowe bottom of the fifth inning it's a one run ballgame Braves in front three to two and it'll be J.T. Muto eight nine and one coming up for the Phillies against Chris Sales and it's high ball for a leadoff walk first walk tonight for sale. And I said it earlier but it's just the fourth walk over his last eight starts. And now you're in a spot where the tying run is at first and you've got the bottom of the order here Hill before you go back up to the top and Schwerber Schwerber had a great at bat his last time up hit in the air to center field but not very deep. Dubon calls for it and he's under it makes the catch. So another battle by Schwerber but he's over three. There's two out for Turner who really hit the ball hard his last time up my drive base hit it to left field. Thomas is going to try to cut it off. Muto is on his way to third. It'll be a double for Turner and the Phillies have two in scoring position for Bryce Harper and the Phillies now bring Bryce Harper to the plate for the chance to get this game tied up. He has been red hot and on base in thirty five straight games but a nemesis of sorts on the mound and Chris Sale slaps it to the left side. Riley backpedaling and making the catch to keep Atlanta on top two outs here at the top of the six will say though Christopher Sanchez like he has dominated the Braves tonight only four strikeouts just nine swings and misses for Atlanta. They've done a good job putting the ball in play and putting some pressure on the defense. Again they did it early and some of the contact now has been a little bit softer here. He's gotten more settled in but he's also reaching the end and he's going to earn a walk with two down. Riley coming to the plate we'll see what Don Mattingly decides to do here. Count even now two and two hundred and seven pitches for Sanchez. His high watermark for the year was one oh eight and it's Swinton. He missed. He struck him out slider down and in and Riley down on strikes the fifth strikeout for Sanchez tonight who has a tough second inning but gets through six a tight game kind of what we expected coming in Atlanta got the first three the Phillies now within one bottom of the six and it will be Luis Arise Leiter down the right field line heading toward the corner. It's going to be a one hop off the waste management side. Acuna gets it in quickly but Arise it's just too quick and he gets to second base and a lead off double at that to strike this sixth inning Arise the tying run in the scoring position. And here comes Ball who has been the man of the hour tonight for the Phillies at the plate weekly Riley to third Riley has it. And this time sale wins the battle against Bowe for the first down and Sosa the batter. He has walked and singled hard the left. He got him right back to that. Well Sosa is down on strikes. It's a big strikeout there and two batters later that runner Arise still out at second. It's up to Dela Cruz three balls two strikes. Go ahead run at the plate in the sixth. He struck him out strikeout number seven for Chris Sale and they strand another runner in scoring position to the Philly. That'll be a walk to Yaz. I think the Braves has got one on the house. Philly fans believe the same thing. Look at it again. And that was clearly a good win. Clint Bondrack over at third base. He missed that one. It's a one out walk. Now Mauricio Dubon coming up to the plate. Dubon to left field Dela Cruz going back. He will watch it go to be with a huge two run blast to give the Braves a cushion here in the eight feels like a six run home run in this game and the way that it has been played and so tight right now between these two and a three run lead feels big. What a huge homer for Dubon coming after the wall. Get the check swing to go your way with ball four and then a homer by Dubon his eleventh of the year. And there's out number one for Fuentes Harper has yet to extend his on base streak. So a last chance here perhaps at thirty five straight games. Harper swings lines it towards left center Harris on the run. He will make the catch and Harper is out number two and is on base streak. So he's going to need to put something together to get him to the plate another time. Iglesias looking for a save number 30 on the season and he's been excellent 50 games so far here for a really good strikeout the walk ratio struck him out a slider. Boll had no shot at reaching it. What a way to be Edmundo Sosa coming up to the plate. Got him back to back strikeouts this time on the change up to a way in the ninth back to back strikeouts by Iglesias Phillies down to their final out here in Game 1. It's in the air foul ground. Riley has his eyes on it. Braves win round one in Philly goes to Atlanta and the lead is five games in the National League East. Give you the tone you wanted to set here in Game 1.