Coming off a disappointing 1-2 series loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, during which the offense seemingly vanished, the Phillies opened a three-game homestand against the Chicago Cubs on Monday, searching for a spark and desperate to get something going at the plate. While fans had plenty to celebrate during the first game, Tuesday and Wednesday proved to be a different story, as the Phillies ultimately dropped another series, with two particularly ugly losses.
With that, let’s recap the series.
For fans who enjoy offense, Citizens Bank Park was the place to be on Monday night. For a lineup that has struggled at times this season, the outburst served as a welcome sign for Phillies fans, offering a glimmer of hope that their potent bats may finally be starting to wake up.
There were 20 runs scored and 26 hits recorded in Monday’s contest, with the Phillies putting on an offensive clinic, tallying 13 runs on 15 hits to secure a 13–7 victory. The win lifted the club back to the .500 mark, snapping a recent stretch in which they had dropped four of their previous five games.
The offensive was led by Kyle Schwarber, who launched two home runs, a 414-foot blast in the first inning and a 417-foot drive in the third, to go along with three RBIs.
“I felt like the at-bats up and down the lineup were really great. We stayed locked in. Guys were using the whole field. We stayed within ourselves and got results. So, it was a great overall day. I loved the approaches, loved the way we made their starter work,” said Schwarber after the game.
J.T. Realmuto collected three hits and drove in three runs of his own out of the eighth spot in the batting order.
Brandon Marsh added three hits as well, raising his average to .304 on the season, while Adolis García chipped in two more. The offense was firing on all cylinders.
On the mound, Cristopher Sánchez delivered another solid performance, going six innings while allowing two runs and striking out eight.
It was a much-needed offensive slugfest for the Phillies.
On Tuesday night, looking to build on Monday’s momentum, Aaron Nola took the ball, and after the Phillies jumped out to a 3-0 lead through two innings, it appeared Philadelphia was in line for back-to-back victories.
However, the Cubs began chipping away in the third, scoring two runs off Nola, and they did not let up. Chicago added another run in the fifth, but the turning point came in the sixth inning, when the Cubs broke the game open with four runs against left-hander Tim Mayza.
Mayza surrendered four runs, three earned, in just one-third of an inning, while also issuing two walks. The inning was extended by a costly Phillies defensive miscue that would have resulted in an inning-ending double play. Mayza made an errant throw to second base on the play, though the error was officially charged to Bryson Stott, allowing the Cubs to keep the rally alive.
“If we turn the double play, different story,” said manager Rob Thomson. “That’s the deal. That’s what we’ve got to do. All those little fundamentals, we’ve got to do better.”
Nola did not pitch poorly, posting a 78 percent first-pitch strike rate and a 67 percent overall strike rate while allowing three runs over five innings with five strikeouts. While the outing may not have been dominant, it represented continued progress compared to last season, when he finished with a career-high 6.01 ERA.
Chicago added three more runs in the top of the ninth for insurance, pushing the final score to 10-4. The Cubs finished with 15 hits against Phillies pitchers on the night.
It was not nearly the kind of offensive showing fans had enjoyed on Monday night, as Philadelphia was unable to generate the same timely hitting or sustained pressure at the plate.
Wednesday’s game was the final in the series, and Jesús Luzardo took the mound only to deliver one of his worst outings fans can remember. He allowed nine earned runs on 12 hits over 5 2/3 innings, leaving his ERA at 7.94. With runners on base, his ERA stands at 24.55, the highest in the league.
Trea Turner and Bryce Harper each hit home runs, but the Phillies managed to scrape together just five hits overall in what became a brutal 11-2 loss in front of a crowd of 38,254.
The team is now 5-7 at home, having lost three of its first four series at Citizens Bank Park. That is unusual behavior for a club that has consistently played some of its best baseball on its home field.
The Phillies fall to 8-10 on the season and will begin another three-game homestand against division rival the Atlanta Braves on Friday. Atlanta enters the series with a 12-7 record. Taijuan Walker (1-2, 7.36 ERA) is scheduled to get the start.
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