ATLANTA (AP) — Even after losing a three-game weekend series and season series to the Atlanta Braves, the Philadelphia Phillies found reason for encouragement on Sunday while avoiding a series sweep and ending a three-game skid.
A seven-run eighth inning was just the mood lifter the Phillies needed.
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Philadelphia Phillies' Alec Bohm reacts after hitting a two-run double against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
Philadelphia Phillies' Alec Bohm hits a two-run double against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter delivers to an Atlanta Braves batter during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
Philadelphia Phillies' Alec Bohm celebrates in the dugout after scoring against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber reacts after hitting a two-run single against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
With the game tied at 2-2, the Phillies had eight hits and sent 12 batters to the plate in the big inning to take a 9-2 lead in Sunday's 9-4 win. Kyle Schwarber had two hits, including a two-run single, in the inning. Alec Bohm hit a tiebreaking, two-run double in the inning.
Schwarber said before the breakthrough inning, the Phillies had been "given opportunities to be in spots, go up there and score runs, you know, and didn’t get the job done.
“If we keep finding ourselves in spots like that, we’re all going to trust ourselves that we’re going to get that job done. And I think that kind of proves the point there.”
The Braves won two of three in the series to win the season series 9-4. The teams split a four-game series in Philadelphia Sept. 4-7.
The Phillies avoided the series sweep but still lost ground to the first-place Braves. The Phillies were four games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East at the start of the series and now are five games behind. The Braves won the opener 6-5 in 11 innings on Friday night before rolling to a 12-2 win on Saturday night.
The Phillies may not catch Atlanta in the division race with only 12 games remaining in the regular season, but manager Don Mattingly said his focus is to simply make the playoffs. With that in mind, the breakout inning was especially important.
“Finally to get the breakthrough and put some runs up was huge obviously for us,” Mattingly said.
When asked if the inning could provide momentum for the remainder of the regular season, Mattingly said “Yeah, honestly, you hope that, but it’s just day to day. At this point, you've got to try to win a game every day and just keep fighting. Get yourself to the finish line.”
Mattingly said another positive for the Phillies was right-hander Andrew Painter, who allowed only one run in five innings despite giving up six hits and four walks.
“The one thing you've got to like is him kind of fighting through traffic, getting big outs, get out of innings, not letting anything kind of get rolling,” Mattingly said. “So yeah, it’s kind of a day when you feel like he doesn’t have his best stuff or command but hangs in there, so that’s a nice sign for him.”
Painter acknowledged “it was a grind out there” and added “the four walks just can't happen.”
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
Philadelphia Phillies' Alec Bohm reacts after hitting a two-run double against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
Philadelphia Phillies' Alec Bohm hits a two-run double against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter delivers to an Atlanta Braves batter during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
Philadelphia Phillies' Alec Bohm celebrates in the dugout after scoring against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber reacts after hitting a two-run single against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
HOUSTON (AP) — Josh Allen didn’t wait for the question he knew was coming on Sunday after finally leading the Buffalo Bills to a road win over the Houston Texans in a season-opening thriller.
“We do like Reliant Stadium,” he said with a big smile. “Woo.”
Allen threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Palmer with 1:36 remaining to lift the Bills to a 36-31 victory in a back-and-forth game.
Allen had 334 yards passing with two touchdowns and ran for two more scores after losing his previous four games at Reliant Stadium.
“It feels good to start the season off right,” Allen said.
It was the Bills' first win at Houston since Nov. 19, 2006.
The Texans led 31-30 when Allen split two defenders to find Palmer. The 2-point conversion failed.
One play earlier, Houston's Kamari Lassiter got his hands on a pass from Allen in the end zone but couldn’t grab the interception.
“We got lucky,” Palmer said. “He dropped it. Next play I caught it.”
The Texans had a chance to win in the closing seconds, but Greg Rousseau had his second strip-sack of the day, taking down C.J. Stroud at the Buffalo 28. Terrel Bernard recovered to seal the victory.
It was a disappointing outing for Houston's vaunted defense, which led the NFL in yards allowed and ranked second in points allowed last season.
“We had multiple opportunities to make plays, had chances to make plays on the football and we didn’t make plays,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said.
Houston allowed its most points since a 36-22 loss to Cleveland on Dec. 24, 2023.
“We’ve got to do a better job, especially closing out the game,” defensive end Will Anderson said. “It just wasn’t our standard. That’s not who we are. That’s not who we want to be as a defense. ”
Dalton Kincaid had five receptions for 130 yards and DJ Moore had five catches for 100 yards and a touchdown in his Buffalo debut after a trade from Chicago.
Buffalo's Joe Brady started his head coaching career with a win after he was promoted from offensive coordinator following Sean McDermott’s firing after nine seasons.
“You saw a lot of the conviction, everything we sort of talk about,” Brady said. “We didn’t care how pretty. There’s no such thing as an ugly win.”
David Montgomery, who was traded from Detroit this offseason, had a three-TD day in his Houston debut. He had scoring runs of 1 and 18 yards in the first half and his 7-yard touchdown reception put Houston up 28-27 early in the fourth.
Stroud threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns but lost two fumbles.
Tyler Bass' 33-yard field goal made it 30-28 Buffalo with 10 1/2 minutes to go.
Ka'imi Fairbairn’s 58-yard field goal put Houston back ahead with about seven minutes remaining before Allen’s game-winning drive.
Buffalo went up 10-7 when Allen scrambled for a 21-yard touchdown early in the second quarter.
Montgomery’s second score came when he scampered 18 yards untouched to make it 14-10 with about five minutes left in the first half.
Lassiter was flagged for pass interference on Moore in the end zone to give the Bills the ball on the 1 on their next drive. Allen’s scoring dive two plays later put Buffalo up 17-14.
Moore grabbed a ball in front of a diving Reed Blankenship and dashed 43 yards to the end zone later in the second to push the lead to 24-14.
A 12-yard touchdown reception by Nico Collins cut the lead to three at halftime.
Rousseau sacked Stroud on Houston’s first drive, causing a fumble that Ed Oliver recovered on the Houston 32. That led to Bass' 46-yard field goal.
A 1-yard run by Montgomery put the Texans up 7-3 near the end of the first quarter. The score was set up by a 25-yard reception by Collins three plays earlier.
Moore and Kincaid gave the Bills just the second game in franchise history where a tight end and a receiver both had 100 yards receiving. The first time it happened was when Andre Reed had 144 yards receiving and Pete Metzelaars added 122 in Week 2 of the 1992 season.
Brady raved about what Moore brings to the team.
“He opens it up for everybody,” Brady said. “He opens it up for Dalton Kincaid, for the run game and James Cook. He opens it up for Keon Coleman... and Josh Palmer. And then on big-play opportunities, he made them. We’re so much better with him.”
Houston LB Jake Hummel left in the second half with an abdominal injury.
Bills: Host Detroit on Thursday night in their first game at their new stadium.
Texans: Host Cincinnati next Sunday.
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) calls the play during the second half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
Houston Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter (3) breaks up a pass against the Buffalo Bills during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer (5) runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown past Houston Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter, right, during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) throws an incomplete pass forced by Houston Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter, second from left, during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
