Braves rally past Phillies 5-4 on Acuña Jr. homer

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a pivotal three-run home run in the eighth inning, fueling a late rally that propelled the Braves to a 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, September 6, 2026. The win extended Atlanta's lead in the National League East to five games. The Braves trailed 4-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning. After a single by Mike Yastrzemski and a double by Drake Baldwin, Acuña Jr. stepped to the plate and connected with a 100.5 mph fastball from Phillies reliever Alex McFarlane, sending it deep into the right-center field seats to tie the game at four runs apiece. Acuña Jr. took his time rounding the bases, a deliberate trot that lasted 32.36 seconds, as boos rained down from the home crowd at Citizens Bank Park. He later emerged for a curtain call, embracing the antagonistic role Phillies fans cast him in. The late offensive surge continued in the ninth inning. Ozzie Albies led off with a double against Phillies closer Jhoan Duran, and Austin Riley followed with a triple to deep center field, scoring Albies to give the Braves a 5-4 lead.