Edmundo Sosa (groin) starts for Phillies in Game 3

Schwarber singled off of Ray Kerr in the first inning, but never advanced past first base. He then drew a walk to open the fourth inning and was erased on a fielder’s choice. Schwarber also chased Grant Holmes with a one-out single in the sixth inning, ultimately scoring the club’s first run on a ground out off the bat of Alec Bohm. While it was a disappointing showing for the Phillies’ offense, Schwarber definitely did his job on Thursday night.

Sosa aggravated a groin injury that he suffered during Philadelphia’s regular-season finale against the Athletics over the weekend while legging out a ninth-inning single. It seems unlikely that he’ll be removed from the club’s postseason roster since that would rule him out for the NLDS as well, but the club may not have a choice depending on the severity of the issue. There should be an update on his status leading into Thursday’s winner-take-all affair at Truist Park.

The Braves grabbed a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh after defensive miscues from Bohm on a sac bunt and Harper on a fly to right, but the Phillies came right back in the eighth, with Schwarber and Harper taking Dylan Lee deep after Lee went the entire regular season without ever allowing a homer to a lefty. Andrew Painter kept things tied afterwards, and Bohm hit a rare opposite field homer off Didier Fuentes in the 10th to give the Phillies the lead. Bohm’s homer was his third in 40 career postseason games. Including the regular season, it’s his ever extra-inning homer. Game 3 will take place Thursday. The Braves are expected to throw Grant Holmes as a starter or bulk guy, with the Phillies likely starting Aaron Nola and perhaps going to Zack Wheeler later.

Harper singled in a run in the first and then hit the second of back-to-back homers with Kyle Schwarber to tie the game in the eighth after his own misplay helped the Braves go ahead by two runs in the seventh. Harper’s homer was his 18th in 59 postseason games.

Marsh sat out Game 1 with the Braves throwing left-hander Chris Sale, but he’ll be back in against Tyler Mahle. Marsh hit a career-high 18 home runs this season while stealing 11 bases and posting a .260/.304/.408 slash line.

Realmuto lined a ball into the right-field corner off Didier Fuentes that scored a pair of runs in the seventh that gave Philadelphia a 3-2 lead. Unfortunately for Realmuto and the Phillies, that lead would not last. The 35-year-old will be behind the plate in a must-win Game 2 against Atlanta on Wednesday.

With Luis Arraez sidelined with an ankle injury, Sosa will enter the lineup at third base, and Bryson Stott will shift back to second base. The team will leave Alec Bohm at first base and Bryce Harper in right field. With Chris Sale on the mound, it will be Bryan De La Cruz in left field and Brandon Marsh heading to the bench.

This is not a major surprise after Arraez sprained his ankle just this week. Phillies manager Don Mattingly said, “We still get improvement every day, but not enough. He was going to try to hit today and just wasn’t able to do it. So, we kind of crossed that bridge today.” There’s a chance that Arraez will be able to return for the NLDS, but, for now, Triple-A Lehigh Valley utility player Otto Kemp will take Arraez’s place on the roster. The Phillies figure to move Bryson Stott back to second base, but it remains to be seen if they move Alec Bohm back to third and Bryce Harper to first or if they just insert Edmundo Sosa into the lineup at third base.

The Phillies will face the Braves on Tuesday. They scored once in the first and three times in the second off Nick Martinez to take a little pressure off today. Harper and Edmundo Sosa then both homered in a three-run fifth. Harper ends the year at .269/.380/.485 with 87 RBI and 93 runs scored. His 107 walks lead the NL, and he out-OPSed Kyle Schwarber ever so slightly, .865 to .857.

It’s the third straight game that Arraez has missed since suffering a left ankle sprain earlier in the week. It’s possible that he could be available off the bench if needed in a near must-win game for the Phillies on Sunday. Bryson Stott will again slide over and cover second base while Edmundo Sosa starts at third base and will bat seventh for the Phillies.