Braves, Astros draw smaller crowds during Wild Card Series day games
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 30, 2026, 8:55 PM
Last updated Sep 30, 2026
The Atlanta Braves narrowly defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series on September 29. The game was highlighted by Austin Riley's go-ahead three-run homer in the eighth inning. Attendance for day games has been low, with the Braves drawing 30,127 fans, significantly below the 41,108 capacity. In Houston, the Astros had 34,011 fans for their 4 p.m. game, also under capacity. Factors contributing to the low attendance include weekday game times and school schedules. Game 2 for the Braves-Phillies series had a larger announced crowd of 37,150. Astros manager Joe Espada acknowledged fan frustration and expressed hope for improved attendance moving forward.
- •Braves win Game 1 against Phillies 5-3 with eighth-inning homer.
- •Braves Game 1 attendance was 30,127, 73.2% of capacity.
- •Astros Game 1 had 34,011 fans, below their 41,168-seat limit.
- •Game times affected attendance due to weekday scheduling.
- •Game 2 of Braves-Phillies series had an announced crowd of 37,150.
- 8:55 PMYahoo Sports — Thin MLB crowds in Atlanta, Houston show challenge of selling afternoon Wild Card Series tickets
"Austin Riley delivered the first clutch moment of Major League Baseball's playoffs on Tuesday, hitting a go-ahead three-run homer in the eighth inning that pushed the Atlanta Braves over the Philadelphia Phillies for a 5-3 win. There has been a noticeable number of empty seats in Atlanta and Houston for day games during this week's Wild Card Series, with the Braves drawing 30,127 fans for Game 1 on Tuesday that started at 2 p.m. local time, well below the 41,108 capacity. The Astros announced that 34,011 fans attended Tuesday's 4 p.m. Game 1 at Daikin Park, also well below its 41,168-seat limit.
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