PHILADELPHIA - Jean Segura jogged slowly as he rounded first base and watched Odubel Herrera dive headfirst across the plate, setting in motion another walk-off win celebration for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Segura's two-run single high off the left-field fence at Citizens Bank Park in the 10th inning gave the Phillies a 4-3 comeback win over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday.
"That's what I'm here for," Segura, a 31-year-old infielder in his third season in Philadelphia, said about his knack for clutch hits.
The Phillies took two of three from the three-time reigning National League East Division champions, including Wednesday night, when Luke Williams hit a two-run homer - the first home run of his MLB career came a day after his debut - with two outs in the ninth for a 2-1 victory.
On Thursday afternoon, Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman hit a solo homer off closer Hector Neris with one out in the ninth to tie it, and the Braves scored two runs off José Alvarado (5-0) on a wild pitch and a passed ball in the 10th.
Alec Bohm's RBI single off Chris Martin (0-2) in the bottom half cut it to 3-2, though, and Herrera followed with a double down the left-field line. Segura then hit a drive deep to left-center. He touched first base, headed toward second and waited for his teammates to mob him.
"I knew it was good enough to walk it off, so that's why I (watched) it a little bit," Segura said.
Zack Wheeler struck out 12 batters in eight dominant innings and Segura hit an RBI double in the eighth to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead, but Freeman's 14th homer of the season erased it. Herrera had a chance to rob Freeman, but his jump was too far in front of the fence and the ball fell beyond his glove.
"I don't think it's a ball he should've caught, but it's a ball he could've caught," Phillies manager Joe Girardi said.
Atlanta's Dansby Swanson started the 10th on second base, advanced to third on a bouncer to short and scored on Alvarado's wild pitch after pinch-hitter Guillermo Heredia walked. Alvarado walked two more batters before a passed ball by third-string catcher Rafael Marchan allowed another run to score.
"It's been a weird year," Braves manager Brian Snitker. "You have to deal with the adversity, make adjustments, and we have to get better. We're capable of it."
Wheeler allowed four singles and no walks in his latest stellar outing. The 31-year-old Atlanta-area native lowered his ERA to 2.29 with his seventh straight start giving up three or fewer runs. Wheeler fanned every batter in the Braves' lineup except Swanson and recorded double-digit strikeouts for the 13th time in his career and the fifth time this season.
"I've had a couple good runs a couple different years, but it wasn't like it is now," Wheeler said. "The difference is I'm throwing the cutter more, the slider is better and I can command all of those pitches."
Braves starter Ian Anderson also was impressive, yielding four hits and fanning four in seven scoreless innings.
"We feel like we're super close," Anderson said. "We just have to keep to it. It's not a matter of if, it's when."
The Phillies (30-31) broke through against A.J. Minter when Herrera lined a double off the right-field fence with one out in the eighth. Herrera flipped his bat and hesitated to watch the ball before running to first, and he missed an opportunity to reach third when right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. fumbled the ball.
Segura followed with a double down the left-field line to knock in Herrera.
"There will be discussions," Girardi said of Herrera not running hard right away.
The Braves (29-31) remain on the road and face another NL East foe with a three-game series against the Miami Marlins that starts Friday night.