PHILADELPHIA — Rhys Hoskins received some boos in pregame introductions.
Those boos quickly turned to electric cheers from a sellout crowd.
Hoskins crushed a three-run home run to left field in a six-run third inning and lifted the host Philadelphia Phillies to a 9-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves for a 2-1 lead in the National League Division Series on Friday.
The Phillies will look for a series victory in Game 4 Saturday and a trip to the National League Championship Series for the first time since 2010.
Hoskins atoned for a crucial fielding miscue in Game 2 and flung his bat in exhilaration when he launched his first career playoff homer. Hoskins was 1-for-18 in the postseason before the game.
“He’s hit a lot of big homers here,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said of Hoskins. “He’s taken a lot of grief since the last game for the error. I’m really happy for him. There’s toughness there.”
Bryce Harper added a homer, a double and three RBIs. Nick Castellanos contributed two hits and two RBIs and Bryson Stott had an RBI double for the Phillies, who played their first home playoff game since 2011.
“It was everything that I could have ever dreamed about,” Harper said. “Chills again. I hope it’s like this for the next two weeks.”
Phillies starter Aaron Nola (2-0) tossed six-plus innings and gave up five hits and one unearned run to along with six strikeouts and two walks.
“I thought his curveball was as good as I’ve seen this year,” Thomson said.
Travis d’Arnaud hit two doubles and Michael Harris II added an RBI single for the Braves.
Suddenly, the defending World Series champions are one loss away from going home.
“We’re facing elimination,” Austin Riley said. “We’ll see what we’re made of. We’ll see how it goes.”
Braves starter Spencer Strider (0-1) lasted only 2 1/3 innings and allowed three hits and five runs with four strikeouts and two walks. It was Strider’s first appearance since Sept. 18.
“We wanted him to go four,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said of Strider. “It didn’t happen.”
“I was going to pitch until they took the ball away and try and put up zeros,” Strider added. “Same as always.”
Ronald Acuna Jr. reached first base on a throwing error by Alec Bohm with one out in the third inning. Dansby Swanson flied out to center and Matt Olson popped out to Bohm at the mound.
Brandon Marsh walked on four pitches to open the bottom of the third. Jean Segura struck out, but with Stott at the plate Marsh advanced to third on a two-base throwing error via Strider’s pickoff attempt. Stott followed with an RBI double to right.
After an intentional walk to Kyle Schwarber, Hoskins launched a three-run homer for a 4-0 lead. J.T. Realmuto singled and Harper added a two-run shot for a commanding 6-0 advantage.
In the fourth, d’Arnaud doubled with one out but was stranded there.
The Braves took advantage of a fielding error by Hoskins in the sixth, which set up an RBI single by Harris to close within 6-1.
Harper hit an RBI double in the seventh, which Harris almost caught at the fence, for a 7-1 lead. Castellanos followed with a two-run single for an eight-run advantage.
–By Andy Jasner, Field Level Media
