ATLANTA -- Trea Turner can¡¯t explain why, but he has hit Braves closer Raisel Iglesias well in the past.
It¡¯s probably not luck, but Turner isn¡¯t sure beyond that. He only knows he barreled Iglesias¡¯ first-pitch slider in the ninth inning of the Phillies¡¯ 4-3 victory over the Braves on Wednesday night at Truist Park. Turner hit a game-winning home run to left-center field. It was his first homer of the season and his third homer in eight career at-bats against Iglesias.
¡°It just happens,¡± Turner said. ¡°It¡¯s not like I see it like a beach ball or anything.¡±
Turner is batting .281 with one home run, two RBIs and an .801 OPS this season. He has walked five times. He has struck out eight times. He is swinging at fewer pitches outside the strike zone than last season.
He said he has enjoyed moving in and out of the leadoff spot with Kyle Schwarber, based on the handedness of the opposing starting pitcher.
¡°I like it, especially if there¡¯s a standard,¡± Turner said. ¡°If it¡¯s not necessarily performance-based, just something that we know each and every time we're going to roll out with that lineup, I like that. I think that allows us to adjust a little bit. And I think from a game plan standpoint, I think it changes it for those pitchers and the coaching staff on the other side to kind of game plan a little differently depending on the lineup. I like it.
¡°I feel like, so far, we've scored runs either way and competed either way. That's what I expect, is just to be good, no matter what the lineup is.¡±
But until the ninth on Wednesday, Turner had not barreled many balls. He had put only four balls in play at 95 mph or harder, and his two hardest-hit balls had been outs. But his three hardest-hit balls also came this weekend against the Dodgers, which he considered a good sign.
¡°I feel like I've hit some line drives,¡± Turner said. ¡°And last night, I hit some line drives, but I haven't driven the ball yet. And that one [the home run] was kind of my first one of those.
¡°My swing¡¯s been feeling really good, and my work has been really good. I feel like I'm getting myself in good counts, but just really not getting a lot of pitches to hit. Yesterday, I got some pitches to hit for the first time in a while, and just kind of fouled them off -- took great swings, just fouled them off. I felt like if I keep swinging at those, and getting myself in those good counts, then it¡¯ll come.¡±
Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings on Wednesday. The Phillies scored a run in the top of the sixth, but the Braves scored twice in the bottom of the inning to take a 2-1 lead.
Bryce Harper crushed a two-run homer to right-center field in the seventh to make it 3-2. It was his second homer of the season, and his first in the regular season against the Braves since Sept. 19, 2023.
Braves left-hander Dylan Lee threw Harper six consecutive pitches on the outer half of the plate or outside to get to 2-2. Braves catcher Sean Murphy wanted the seventh pitch to be a fastball away.
Lee threw it over the heart of the plate.
Harper crushed it. The ball left his bat at 107.5 mph and traveled a Statcast-projected 400 feet. In his career, Harper has batted .422 with a .944 slugging percentage on fastballs down the middle.
¡°Lee's good, man,¡± Harper said. ¡°He can pitch; he knows how to. He just left something over the middle and I didn't miss it.¡±
But the Phillies needed nine more outs. Manager Rob Thomson did not have left-handers Matt Strahm and Tanner Banks available. He wanted to stay away from right-hander Orion Kerkering. Right-hander Jordan Romano¡¯s recent struggles have temporarily bumped him from high-leverage situations.
Austin Riley hit a game-tying homer against Joe Ross in the seventh.
Turner¡¯s go-ahead homer in the ninth left his bat at 101.4 mph and traveled 402 feet. It gave Jos¨¦ Alvarado the opportunity for a four-out win. He touched 101.6 mph in the ninth inning.
It was the first time he had gotten four or more outs in a game since April 12, 2023.
It only mattered because Turner finally barreled one that counted.
¡°It feels good to drive the ball,¡± Turner said.