ATLANTA, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Hunter Pence's RBI infield single in the 13th inning Wednesday gave the Philadelphia Phillies a 4-3 win over Atlanta and kept the Braves out of the playoffs.
A late-season collapse by the Braves was completed when they let an early 3-1 lead get away and then failed to produce a run during the game's final 10 innings.
Atlanta had a nine-game lead over St. Louis in the wild-card race at the start of September and the Cardinals wound up grabbing the playoff spot thanks to an 8-0 victory earlier in the evening over Houston.
Philadelphia won its 102nd game of the season and the National League East champions will start the playoffs on Saturday by hosting St. Louis.
Dan Uggla's two-run homer in the third gave Atlanta a 3-1 advantage. The Braves knew at that point they needed to win the game to force a one-game playoff with the Cardinals because St. Louis had already built a big lead against the Astros.
The Braves still had a 3-2 lead going into the ninth, but Craig Kimbrel, holder of baseball's all-time rookie save record, could not put the game away.
Philadelphia loaded the bases with one out and Chase Utley drove in the tying run with a sacrifice fly. Atlanta put the potential winning run on second with one out in the 12th, but could not get him home and then gave up the deciding tally in the 13th.
Brian Schneider reached on a one-out walk surrendered by Scott Linebrink (4-4), went to third on a two-out base hit by Utley and scored when Pence beat out his infield hit.
Justin De Fratus pitched the 12th to get his first major-league win and David Herndon came on in the ninth for his first major-league save.
The teams combined to use 17 pitchers.
