Chris Sale Makes History as Braves Bounce Back to Split Doubleheader With Phillies

Chris Sale etched his name in the record books on Thursday night, becoming the fastest pitcher in MLB history to reach 2,500 career strikeouts. The veteran lefty struck out Edmundo Sosa in the sixth inning for his eighth punchout of the night, hitting the milestone in just 2,026 innings—beating the previous record of 2,107 2/3 set by Hall of Famer Randy Johnson.

Sale (3-3) delivered a dominant performance, tossing six scoreless innings and allowing only two hits. His milestone moment marked him as the 40th pitcher in MLB history to reach 2,500 strikeouts and placed him among elite company—joining Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, and Max Scherzer as the only active pitchers to hit that mark.

The Atlanta Braves backed him up at the plate, rolling to a 9-3 win over the Phillies in the nightcap of a doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies had taken the opener 5-4 earlier in the day.

Austin Riley powered the offense with a double, a home run, and four RBIs. Ozzie Albies also went deep and drove in three runs, while Luke Williams added a pair of RBIs to help the Braves snap a three-game losing streak.

Chris Sale

Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler (6-2) struggled, giving up six runs in 5 1/3 innings as the Phillies dropped just their second game in their last 13.

Turning Point:
Sale navigated a tense fifth inning, loading the bases with two walks and a hit batter before escaping unscathed by inducing a groundout from Alec Bohm.

Notable Stat:
Ozzie Albies extended his hitting streak to 14 games with his sixth home run of the season.

Phillies Roster Move:
After the game, Philadelphia added depth to their pitching staff, acquiring left-hander Josh Walker from the Blue Jays for cash considerations. He’ll report to Triple-A Lehigh Valley but has been added to the Phillies’ 40-man roster.