ATLANTA -- Ray Kerr parked his car and calmly walked through Truist Park’s tunnel on Thursday around 5 p.m. ET. When asked how he was doing, he smiled and said, “I’m ready.”
Kerr’s confidence proved to be genuine as he spent the next few hours transforming from obscure figure to postseason hero. His stellar performance as an opener combined with home runs from Michael Harris II, Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson led the Braves to a 6-2 win over the Phillies in a winner-take-all Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series.
After blowing a two-run, eighth-inning lead in a Game 2 loss, the Braves finally exorcised the postseason demons that have haunted them against the Phillies. Philadelphia had won each of the three previous postseason series played between these franchises, including the 2022 and ‘23 NL Division Series.
Braves manager Walt Weiss didn’t take any chances in this one. When Bryce Harper came up with two outs in the eighth, Game 1 starter Chris Sale entered to a loud ovation. Two days after working into the seventh inning, Sale needed just four pitches, all sliders, to strike out Harper.
When the Braves announced Kerr would serve as an opener in this winner-take-all game, there was reason to debate the decision. The 32-year-old left-hander has made just 48 career appearances, with nine of those coming this year. He missed most of the past two seasons while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
But Kerr looked like a seasoned vet as he allowed just one hit over 3 ⅓ scoreless innings. His task was to handle the two left-handed sluggers, Kyle Schwarber and Harper, at the top of Philadelphia’s lineup. He lasted long enough to face both of them twice. Schwarber singled and walked. Harper and struck out and grounded out.
Kerr worked 3 ⅓ innings twice for Atlanta in September. But this 47-pitch effort was 12 pitches more than he threw in any of his nine regular season appearances.