Marcell Ozuna made headlines with his epic reaction after hitting a tiebreaking home run that lifted the Atlanta Braves to a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in the opening game of their three-game series. This crucial win allowed the Braves to close the gap in the National League East, bringing them within six games of the division-leading Phillies.
Ozuna had a rough start to the game, striking out in his first two at-bats against Phillies’ ace Zack Wheeler. Before this at-bat, Ozuna had a mere .180 average with 19 strikeouts in 50 at-bats against Wheeler. However, in a 1-1 game during the sixth inning, Ozuna turned things around, crushing a 432-foot fastball to straightaway center field for a go-ahead home run, his second career homer off Wheeler. His ecstatic reaction as he rounded the bases quickly went viral, capturing the intensity and significance of the moment.
Wheeler, who was aiming for his 100th career win, ended up pitching six innings, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out eight without issuing a walk. Despite his strong performance, he was outdueled by Braves starter Reynaldo Lopez, who had just returned from a three-week stint on the injured list. Lopez threw five impressive innings, giving up one run on five hits while recording a season-high 10 strikeouts.
The Braves’ bullpen took over and dominated the rest of the game, with Grant Holmes (2-0) earning the win after pitching two scoreless innings. Joe Jimenez handled the eighth inning, and Raisel Iglesias closed out the ninth for his 27th save of the season. The Braves’ pitchers combined to retire the final 17 Phillies batters, effectively sealing the victory.
The Braves initially took the lead in the third inning when Whit Merrifield, recently acquired after being released by the Phillies, tripled off the right-field wall and scored on a single by Michael Harris II. The Phillies tied the game in the fourth inning when Alec Bohm, who extended his active on-base streak to 36 games, scored on a single by J.T. Realmuto.
Atlanta’s win was bittersweet, as they placed third baseman Austin Riley on the injured list with a fractured right hand. To fill the void, the Braves signed veteran infielder Gio Urshela off waivers. Urshela made his Braves debut in the game, going 0-for-3 but drawing a bases-loaded walk against reliever Jose Alvarado to add an insurance run in the eighth inning.
This victory not only boosted the Braves’ playoff hopes but also showcased Marcell Ozuna’s resilience and ability to come through in clutch moments, making his reaction one of the highlights of the game.
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