Sean Murphy’s Return Ignites Braves in Gritty Win Over Phillies
- Gavin James
- Apr 8
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 11
A Must-Win Night at Truist Park
The Atlanta Braves entered Tuesday night’s showdown against the Philadelphia Phillies desperate for a win. A 1-8 start to the season had fans on edge, and with the red-hot Phillies (7-2) rolling into town, the pressure was on. The game also marked the long-awaited return of catcher Sean Murphy, who had been sidelined with a rib injury suffered in spring training.
Chris Sale (0-1) took the mound for the Braves, looking to bounce back after his first outing, while Philadelphia countered with ace Zack Wheeler (1-0). With two of the league’s best pitchers squaring off, all eyes were on Truist Park. But by the end of the night, it was Murphy who stole the show.
Early Action: Phillies Strike First, Murphy Strikes Back
Chris Sale came out firing, striking out Trea Turner and Bryce Harper to open the first inning. But after back-to-back singles, a Nick Castellanos RBI single put the Phillies ahead 1-0. The Braves went quietly in the bottom half, going three up, three down.
After a clean second inning from Sale, the Braves' bats came alive—thanks to Sean Murphy. With two runners aboard, he crushed a 401-foot homer to left field, announcing his return in dramatic fashion. Just like that, the Braves led 3-1.
Philadelphia answered back in the third, plating three runs on four hits, including a Schwarber triple and a Castellanos double. Sale managed to stop the bleeding but not before the Phillies reclaimed a 4-3 lead.
Braves Keep Fighting
Sale delivered a clean fourth, but Kyle Schwarber’s solo homer in the fifth ended his night. His final line: 4.2 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 0 BB, 5 K. Enyel De Los Santos came in and got the Braves out of the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, Murphy came through again. With two runners on, he lined an RBI single to left to cut the deficit to 5-4. The Braves weren’t done. A sac fly from Michael Harris II brought home Jarred Kelenic, tying the game at 5-5.
The Braves Take Control
With the game knotted up in the seventh, Austin Riley delivered in the clutch, doubling to right center to bring home Marcell Ozuna and give the Braves a 6-5 lead. Daysbel Hernandez, who had come in relief earlier, shut down the Phillies in the eighth, racking up two strikeouts with his high-heat fastball.
The Braves tacked on an insurance run in the eighth after a lead-off double from Orlando Arcia led to a wild pitch that allowed him to score during Marcell Ozuna’s at-bat. Heading into the ninth with a 7-5 lead, it was Iglesias time.
Locking It Down
Raisel Iglesias took the mound to close it out, and the Braves' defense stepped up. Jarred Kelenic made a highlight-reel diving catch for the first out, followed by a routine flyout to center. Bryce Harper drew a walk to bring Alec Bohm to the plate as the tying run, but Iglesias induced a pop-up to Austin Riley at third to seal the win.
For just the second time this season, the Braves walked off the field victorious.
Final Thoughts: Sean Murphy Makes the Difference
The Braves needed a spark, and they got it from Sean Murphy. His three-run homer in the second changed the momentum of the game, and his RBI single in the sixth helped the Braves stay in the fight. He would end the night going 2-4 with 4 RBI's.
Chris Sale’s performance was up and down, but the bullpen stepped up when needed, particularly Daysbel Hernandez and Iglesias.
Despite their early-season struggles, this win showed that the Braves still have fight left in them. If Murphy’s bat continues to stay hot, Atlanta may be able to turn this season around sooner rather than later.
Up Next
The Braves and Phillies continue their series Wednesday night at 7:15 PM, with coverage on MLB Network.
Game Notes:
Winning Pitcher: Daysbel Hernandez (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Orion Kerkering (0-1)
Save: Raisel Iglesias (1)
In other Braves news, Atlanta made a trade during the game, acquiring reliever Rafael Montero and cash considerations from the Houston Astros in exchange for a player to be named later.
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