The top of the National League East played itself to a stalemate this holiday weekend in Philadelphia, as the visiting Atlanta Braves and the hosting Phillies split a four-game set, two wins apiece. It was a captivating showdown between familiar rivals, one packed with impressive performances and knife's edge moments. But in the end, Walt Weiss' Braves left the Citizens Bank Park thunderdome with the same four-game division lead with which they arrived. Much happened — and little, too. At this point, the division is Atlanta's to lose.
That said, despite the dwindling of the baseball calendar, these clubs are not finished with each other yet. Three more regular-season games remain next weekend in Georgia. And, of course, there's always the opportunity for a big-time rendezvous come October.
Here's what we learned this weekend.
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The most consequential swing of the series — and perhaps Atlanta's entire season — came Sunday afternoon via the suddenly en fuego Ronald Acuña Jr. With the Braves down three and a pair on, the electrifying outfielder tied things up with a three-run crowd-silencer. After warding off six consecutive fastballs from Philly reliever Alex McFarlane, Acuña put the seventh, a 100.5-mph four-seamer, into the seats. As he rounded the sacks, the ever-emotive slugger unleashed his elaborate cornucopia of long-ball celebrations, much to the displeasure of the booing Philadelphia crowd.

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