Time for a change: Braves 9, Phillies 0

Apr 17, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Taijuan Walker (99) throws a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images The Phillies stunk something awful tonight. The offense decided not to show up yet again, a theme that is starting to become a recurring one, but that should course correct in due time.

What isn’t going to course correct itself is that Taijuan Walker again put his team behind in the first inning and then proceeded to make sure they didn’t have a chance to get back in the game in the second inning. When it was over, the Braves had a 6-0 lead and the game was virtually over. The first inning problems that Walker has had this year continued unabated when he allowed the first three hitters to reach to load the bases.

Hope sprung when he somehow got a strikeout and a groundout that maybe he’d get out of the inning further unscathed, but a single made it 2-0. The Phillies had a golden chance to at least answer back somewhat in their half of the frame when they loaded the bases with one out against Martin Perez, but a pretty rough at bat by Edmundo Sosa snuffed out the rally. In the second, the Braves tacked on four more runs, the biggest blow a three run home run by Austin Riley that essentially sealed the game.

Boo birds are out in Philadelphia after Austin Riley hits a home run to make it 6-0 Atlanta Braves Taijuan Walker continues to struggle in 2026 as his ERA is 9. 72 😬 pic. twitter.