Phillies will send Cristopher Sanchez to the mound against Spencer Schwellenbach, looking for a series win against the Atlanta Braves

The Philadelphia Phillies will send Cristopher Sanchez to the mound to wrap up a three game set against the Atlanta Braves tonight at Truist Park at 7:08 pm, looking to win the series after the NL East rivals split the first two games on Tuesday and Wednesday night.

Atlanta won the first game of the series 3-1 on Tuesday before the Phillies rallied for a 3-2 win last night – ending the Braves’ three-game winning streak.

The Phillies regained a seven game lead in the NL East. They trail only the Los Angeles Dodgers by a game for the best record in the National League and all of Major League Baseball.

The Braves, who again, are seven games back in the divisional standings, are barely hanging on to the third and final Wild Card spot, leading the New York Mets (lol) by just 1.5 games and the San Francisco Giants by 3.5 games.

Orlando Arcia gave Atlanta a 2-0 lead after hitting a two-run homer in the fourth inning last night. He then foolishly stared down Bryce Harper as he rounded the bases, providing a flashback to last year’s NLDS when the Phillies’ first baseman embarrassed him with the exact same move.

Bryce Harper doesn’t care about Orlando Arcia, Phillies storm back to beat the Atlanta Braves

Hopefully that will ignite a spark in Harper, who is 0-for-8 with four strikeouts in the series and is 0-for-14 with seven K’s against the Braves this season.

Cristopher Sanchez (9-8, 3.46 ERA) is fresh off one of his many strong outings of the 2024 season. Against the Washington Nationals on Sunday, he tossed a complete game, allowing just two hits and one run on a solo homer, striking out four without issuing a walk.

Cristopher Sanchez: 2nd Complete Game of the 2024 MLB Season

Cristopher Sánchez finishes off his 2nd complete game of the season!

He needed just 99 pitches for this one. pic.twitter.com/80Ivnds6Yz

— MLB (@MLB) August 18, 2024

Against the Nats, Sanchez recorded 15 ground-ball outs, tied for most by a Phillies pitcher in a single game since the Statcast era began in 2008. He threw a total of 99 pitches in his second complete game of the 2024 season.

Pretty weird, but Sanchez has yet to face the Braves this season. He has three career appearances and two starts against Atlanta, posting an 0-2 record with a 4.73 ERA. Both losses came during the 2023 season.

Rookie right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach (4-6, 4.04 ERA) will take the mound for the Braves. He took a loss against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, allowing three runs on four hits with two walks and eight strikeouts over five-plus innings.

He faced the Phillies for the first time on July 6th earning a win after allowing one run on seven hits with six strikeouts and no walks over six innings of work.

BetMGM Sportsbook: Bet $5, Get $150 Instantly

• Sign up for a new BetMGM Sportsbook Account
• Make Your First Deposit
• Bet $5+ On Any Sport
• Receive $150 In Bonus Bets Instantly

Claim your free $150 now >>

Stat Update: Alec Bohm saw his streak of reaching base in 36 consecutive games come to an end on Wednesday.

Injury Update: The Braves will be without left-handed setup man A.J. Minter for the rest of the season after he underwent left hip surgery. Minter made 39 appearances this year, going 5-4 with one save and a 2.62 ERA.

Join The Chase