Baldwin breaks tie with 2-run homer in 9th and Braves top Phillies 3-1 to avoid 4-game sweep

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Drake Baldwin broke a ninth-inning tie with a two-run homer and the Atlanta Braves avoided a four-game sweep with a 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday night.

Braves rookie Hurston Waldrep pitched 5 2/3 strong innings. Jake Fraley came off the bench in the seventh and went 2 for 2. Michael Harris II also had two hits for Atlanta.

Brandon Marsh homered for the Phillies, who lead the NL East by six games over the New York Mets heading into September.

Matt Olson tied it at 1 with an RBI groundout for the Braves in the eighth.

Fraley started the ninth with an infield single off José Alvarado (4-2) and went to second on a sacrifice bunt. Vidal Bruján struck out, but Baldwin drove Alvarado’s first pitch, a 98 mph sinker, over the wall in left field.

Baldwin walked as a pinch hitter in the eighth and remained in the game at catcher.

Tyler Kinley (4-3) tossed a perfect eighth and Raisel Iglesias struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for his 23rd save in 28 chances.

Waldrep continued to impress, giving up one run on four hits with nine strikeouts and four walks. After starting two games in 2024, the 23-year-old right-hander, the No. 24 overall draft pick in 2023, was called up to the Braves on Aug. 2 and has a 1.01 ERA in six outings, including five starts.

Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up two hits while striking out seven and walking one.

Alvarado could have gotten the first out in the ninth but couldn’t field Fraley's grounder just to the side of the pitcher's mound. Phillies shortstop Trea Turner fielded the slow grounder but didn’t have enough time to get Fraley.

Waldrep has allowed four earned runs over 35 2/3 innings in August. He has struck out 33 batters.

Braves: Open a three-game set at the Chicago Cubs on Monday afternoon. Atlanta RHP Spencer Strider (5-12, 4.95 ERA) faces Chicago RHP Colin Rea (10-6, 4.23).

Phillies: Begin a three-game series at Milwaukee on Monday afternoon. Phillies RHP Taijuan Walker (4-7, 3.63 ERA) opposes Brewers RHP Jacob Misiorowski (4-2, 4.33).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo, center, delivers to Atlanta Braves' Sean Murphy, left, during the third inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper reacts to not being able to catch Atlanta Braves' Michael Harris on a pickoff play during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Raisel Iglesias, right, celebrates with catcher Drake Baldwin, left, after a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Atlanta Braves' Drake Baldwin reacts after his two-run home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Atlanta Braves' Drake Baldwin hits a two-run home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Russell Westbrook scored 21 points and moved past Magic Johnson for seventh place on the NBA’s career assists list while leading the Sacramento Kings to a 113-107 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.

Westbrook grabbed five rebounds, and his nine assists gave him 10,149 — eight more than Johnson.

The 37-year-old Westbroook also moved within nine points of tying Dominique Wilkins for 19th on the NBA’s scoring chart while propelling Sacramento to its third victory in 13 games.

Dallas got within 111-107 with nine seconds remaining before DeMar DeRozan made two free throws to seal it.

Keon Ellis hit five 3-pointers and had 21 points, Maxime Raynaud added 19 points and Dennis Schroder scored 10. Rookie guard Nique Clifford had eight points and nine rebounds off the bench to help the Kings (8-23) to their fourth consecutive win over the Mavericks.

Cooper Flagg had 23 points, six rebounds and five assists but also committed five turnovers for Dallas (12-21). P.J. Washington had 17 points and four blocks, and Klay Thompson scored 14 points.

The Mavs have lost four of five.

After blowing much of an 18-point lead, Sacramento made four 3-pointers as part of a 20-10 run in the third quarter. Ellis drained two 3s and scored eight points as part of the surge.

The Kings are 35-48 under coach Doug Christie, who took over initially on an interim basis when Mike Brown was fired last December.

Ellis got the Kings going early with 13 points in the first quarter to help Sacramento to a double-digit lead.

Dallas trimmed the margin to eight but the Kings doubled that midway through the second quarter and led 59-44 at halftime.

Mavericks: Visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night.

Kings: Play the Lakers in Los Angeles on Sunday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Dallas Mavericks forward Daniel Gafford dunks the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)

Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington Jr. (25) attempts a layup as he's fouled during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)

Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud reacts after being called for a foul during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg reacts after being called for a foul during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)

Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)