No one needed this break more than Austin Riley. After finishing the regular season with a .219 average and 19 homers, Riley was looking for his moment, and that came against the Phillies. His three-run homer helped the Braves beat the Phillies, and it made Chris Sale go crazy in the clubhouse.

In the post-game presser, Chris Sale talked about how he reacted after Austin Riley gave the Braves the lead. He said, “I don’t think I’ve screamed that loud in a very long time… I just hear craziness coming from the entire clubhouse. Everyone’s losing their mind… just couldn’t be happier for him.”

For a guy who has won the World Series, Sale’s reaction shows how important this was to him and for Atlanta.

Chris Sale was already inside Atlanta’s clubhouse when a sudden roar broke through after Riley’s big homer. He was completing his postgame routine while watching a delayed broadcast on the clubhouse television. At first, Sale had no idea why everyone around him suddenly started losing their minds. Then Riley’s homer came on the screen.

That reaction matched the feeling around Atlanta after the Phillies had suddenly taken control.

Sale struck out 9 across 6.1 innings, keeping Philadelphia quiet through most of his start. But J.T. Realmuto’s two-run triple off reliever Didier Fuentes in the seventh turned Atlanta’s 2-1 lead into 2-3.

Suddenly, the Braves were only 9 outs from losing their postseason opener at home.

Then Riley stepped up with two outs and two runners aboard in the eighth inning. Jhoan Duran threw a 99.9-mph fastball that Riley drove 385 feet into right-center. The three-run homer turned Philadelphia’s 3-2 lead into a 5-3 advantage for the Braves.

Truist Park changed from nervous silence into celebration before Riley even reached home plate.

For Riley, the moment came after a regular season that never matched his usual numbers. He finished with 72 RBIs and 201 strikeouts in 159 games. His .654 OPS also marked a difficult season for Atlanta’s highest-paid player under his contract.

Yet one swing gave Riley a completely different beginning to his October.

Manager Walt Weiss had watched Riley struggle all season, and said, “I think throughout the season, I always felt like virtually every time he got in the box, this is when it’s going to turn around. At times, it did. But he’s worked, obviously, all year for this moment, and good for him.”

Sale said Game 1 reflected Atlanta’s season—everyone refusing to quit. The Braves now lead 1-0, needing one more win to reach the NLDS against the Dodgers. 

Mauricio Dubón had the perfect reaction after the Braves took Game 1

The Atlanta Braves were 4 outs away from dropping Game 1 before Austin Riley changed everything late. Michael Harris II singled before Ozzie Albies was hit by a pitch in the 8th. That brought Riley to the plate against All-Star closer Jhoan Duran with 2 outs. Riley needed just one pitch to win the game for the Braves.

“Man, it felt good, no doubt. Just trying to get something over the plate. Duran’s a really good pitcher. He’s got some really good stuff. You know, for me, it’s like, you try to just get something, get them to push them out a little bit, and was able to put a good swing on it,” said Riley.

After struggling all regular season, Riley knew the postseason gave him a chance to change that story.

“But no, it felt really good. You know, obviously, everybody knows kind of how my season went and, you know, not the way I wanted to. But, you know, that’s the beauty of the postseason. You know, you kind of get a clean slate and go out there and, you know, try to do something for the boys and for this, for the city. So, you know, this is definitely a good start.”

While Riley provided the swing, Mauricio Dubón had the simplest reaction to Atlanta’s dramatic comeback. Dubón went 1-for-4 after also starting the second inning with a double. When asked about his team following the win, he gave a response that needed almost no explanation.

“We’re f****g dogs, man,” Dubón said, capturing the mood after Atlanta erased Philadelphia’s late advantage.

Riley’s homer completed a comeback that put Atlanta 1-0 ahead in the best-of-three series. Now, the Braves need 1 more win to advance after Riley gave them the start he wanted.