Star Metro - Phillies edge Braves in MLB playoff series opener

Castellanos and Bryce Harper each had three hits as the Phillies took a 1-0 lead over the reigning World Series champion Braves in a National League best-of-five division series matchup.

"Everybody had a great game today and that's all you can ask for," Harper said. "We each want to win the game at any cost or anything we've got to do."

Castellanos and Alec Bohm each singled in a run in the first inning and, after Atlanta's Travis d'Arnaud hit a solo home run in the second, Bohm drove in a run on a sacrifice fly and Jean Segura singled to score Castellanos for a 4-1 Philles' lead.

Castellanos added a two-run single in the fourth and Edmundo Sosa drove in Segura with a sacrifice fly in the fifth to make it 7-1 for the visitors.

Atlanta battled back on d'Arnaud's two-run double in the fifth and pulled within the final margin on a three-run homer by Matt Olson with one out in the ninth.

William Contreras then smacked a sinking fly ball to right field but Castellanos made a tricky diving catch to deny a base hit, register the penultimate out and snuff out an Atlanta rally. D'Arnaud then grounded out to shortstop to end the game.

"No panic," Harper said of the key Castellanos grab. "He kept his composure. We have all the faith in the world in him out there to make big plays for us."

The Phillies ousted St. Louis in the wildcard round of the playoffs while the Braves had a first-round bye.

"All fight. That's all we do," said Harper. "We've got to keep going. You keep clawing and you grinding each day and just have good at-bats."

San Diego will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in a later NL division series opener. Later American League division series openers find Seattle at Houston and Cleveland at the New York Yankees.

S.Lapointe--SMC