It felt long overdue, but Phillies fans finally had reason to cheer Monday night as the struggling Phils, losers of nine of their last ten and fresh off a sweep in Pittsburgh, earned a much-needed 4–3 win over the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park.
The hero on the diamond was Brandon Marsh, whose RBI single in the bottom of the 11th brought home J.T. Realmuto for the winning run in walk-off fashion. Although the win required extra innings to secure, it was still a victory nevertheless—and one the Phillies hope will ignite a turnaround after an ugly stretch.
The walk-off capped a night filled with memorable moments and notable firsts for a number of Phillies players—one of the most impressive coming from Zack Wheeler.
Returning from paternity leave after missing the Phillies’ series in Toronto and Pittsburgh, Wheeler delivered a commanding performance on the mound. Across six innings, the Georgia native allowed just three hits and one earned run while striking out seven over 103 pitches. Although he didn’t get the win, his outing was still a memorable performance.
Wheeler’s final strikeout of the game marked his 1,000th regular-season strikeout as a Phillie, making him the fastest pitcher in franchise history to reach that milestone. He joins an elite group of just 10 pitchers in Phillies history to have recorded 1,000 strikeouts. Since signing with Philadelphia before the 2020 season, Wheeler required only 907.2 innings to reach this achievement, as reported by Athlon Sports. Over the course of his career, he has amassed an impressive 1,726 regular-season strikeouts.
On the offensive side, while Marsh delivered the game-winning hit, it was Phillies rookie and No. 24 overall prospect Otto Kemp who stole the spotlight with a performance to remember. Playing in just his third Major League game, Kemp—who signed with the Phillies as an undrafted free agent out of Division II Point Loma Nazarene—secured his first career hit in the fifth inning, a single to left.
But Kemp’s memorable night didn’t end there. In the bottom of the ninth, he reached base on an infield single to the catcher, a play often referred to in baseball terms as a “swinging bunt.” Then, in the 11th, the California native executed a well-placed bunt, this time with purpose, resulting in a single that advanced Bryson Stott to second and Realmuto to third—setting up the perfect scoring opportunity for Marsh to deliver the decisive run.
“That was huge,” Marsh said after the game. “The dude’s a stud. I’m so happy for him, his family and everyone. That was a big night for him, a big night for all of us.”
As numerous media outlets have reported, adding a bit of humor to Kemp’s unforgettable night, his last bunt attempt—prior to this evening—ended in a pop-up straight to the catcher. That moment occurred back in 2021 when he was playing for the St. Cloud Rox, a collegiate summer team in Minnesota.
On the night, Kemp went 3-for-5 with a run scored—an evening he, and Phillies fans, will always remember.
With Bryce Harper sidelined due to a wrist injury, Kemp appears poised to remain with the Phillies for the foreseeable future. In 58 Triple-A games this season, Kemp has posted an impressive .313/.416/.594 slash line, along with a 1.010 OPS, 49 runs, 14 home runs, and 55 RBI.
Thus far, Kemp has played third base, with Alec Bohm shifting across the diamond to first. However, that alignment may soon change, as manager Rob Thomson indicated that Kemp could transition to first base as he grows more comfortable at the position.
Nevertheless, Kemp is thrilled to be in Philadelphia. “It’s unbelievable,” he said. “The energy that I felt today, the support from all the fans, the buzz—it’s crazy.”
He added, “I’m excited to be a Phil.”
At this point, it’s safe to say Phillies fans are just as excited that he’s a ‘Phil.’
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