Phillies’ Bryce Harper Hits Two Home Runs, Stares Down Orlando Arcia While Rounding the Bases Following Braves Shortstop’s Comments

After blowing a 4-0 lead and losing 5-4 to the Atlanta Braves in Game 2 of the NLDS to tie the series 1-1, the Philadelphia Phillies returned home for Game 3 looking to regain the series advantage.

Bryce Harper hit two home runs to lead the Phillies to a dominant 10-2 victory. It was clear that this was personal for Harper, who made it a point to stare down Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia as he rounded the bases each time.

After Game 2, Jake Mintz of Fox Sports reported that Arcia was heard mocking Harper for a base-running mistake that resulted in a double play to end the game. Mintz said Arcia "cackled emphatically about Harper's misfortune, bellowing 'ha-ha attaboy Harper' repeatedly as reporters circled the room."

"It's just the game, it's fun," Harper said during his on-field TBS interview when asked what he was trying to communicate to Arcia with the stare-downs. "It's a lot of fun. We play a great game out here and everybody works hard and everybody played a really great game. It's what it's all about."

The Phillies had the edge early, leading 6-1 after a six-run third inning that included Harper's three-run home run. By the end of the fifth, a second Harper home run extended the lead to 7-1.

Arcia responded with an RBI single in the sixth to cut Philadelphia's advantage to 7-2, but that was as close as the Braves would get.

With the win, the Phillies hold a 2-1 series lead heading into Game 4 at Citizen's Bank Park on Thursday where a win would send Philadelphia to its second straight NLCS.