Following a decisive 7–2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies returned to action for a three-game weekend series against the Toronto Blue Jays. With the home crowd once again behind them, Philadelphia looked to build momentum and close the gap in the National League East, where they trailed the division-leading New York Mets by five games heading into the Friday-to-Sunday stretch.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at how the Phillies fared in their recent home series against Toronto.
The Fightin’ Phils came out Friday night with something to prove, making it clear that their recent stretch of inconsistent play was nothing more than a blip—and that their sights remain firmly set on a return to Red October. Leading the charge was left-hander Ranger Suárez, who turned in a dominant performance on the mound. Over seven shutout innings, Suárez scattered just four hits, walked none, and struck out six across 94 pitches. It marked the second time this season he’s delivered seven scoreless frames. Now 5–1 on the year, Suárez has posted an impressive 1.17 ERA over his last seven starts, lowering his season ERA to 2.32.
Offensively, the Phillies picked up right where they left off against the Cubs, with their bats firing on all cylinders. Even in the continued absence of superstar Bryce Harper, the lineup showed no signs of slowing down—collecting 10 hits and plating 8 runs.
J.T. Realmuto and rookie Otto Kemp each tallied two hits, with Kemp recording his first career extra-base hit on a double in the second inning. He later added his first Major League RBI with a single in the sixth.
Kyle Schwarber, doing what he does best—sending baseballs into the stands—launched a three-run homer to center field in the second inning, his 22nd of the season. The blast also brought him to 50 RBIs on the year.
Friday’s 8–0 victory over the Blue Jays marked the first time in June that the Phillies had won back-to-back games.
On Saturday, the Phillies turned to Cristopher Sánchez, who, despite taking the loss in his June 8 outing against the Pirates, had delivered a solid performance—going seven innings, striking out nine, and allowing just two earned runs.
Sánchez delivered another strong outing on Saturday, once again going seven innings while allowing just two runs and striking out five. He didn’t issue a single walk during the performance. It marked his third consecutive quality start, and the left-hander now sits at 5–2 on the season with a 3.05 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and an 88:28 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 79.2 innings.
“He’s going to get better and better … the sky is the limit,” said Ruben Amaro Jr. of Sánchez during Phillies Postgame Live on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
After throwing 98 pitches, Sánchez’s night came to an end, and the Phillies turned to Orion Kerkering for the top of the eighth inning. The young right-hander delivered a scoreless frame, lowering his ERA to 2.63. According to Phillies Nation, Kerkering has now gone 13⅓ consecutive innings without allowing an earned run.
That set the stage for the bottom half of the inning, where—tied at 2–2—Max Kepler emerged as the hero. The outfielder took a pitch from Blue Jays reliever Chad Green and drove it 370 feet over the right-field wall—giving the Phillies a go-ahead run that would ultimately prove to be the difference in the game.
Kepler, who signed a one-year $10 million deal with Philadelphia in the offseason, is batting .220 on the year with eight home runs. After a difficult month of May—during which he hit just .188/.275/.375—and a slow start to June, Kepler is hopeful he’s beginning to turn a corner. “I think I’m starting to see the ball better and just be patient,” Kepler said after the game. “And continue to believe in my swing.”
“Hopefully he’s turned the corner here a little bit,” noted manager Rob Thomson.
Despite his recent struggles, Kepler played the hero on Saturday night, coming through when his team needed him most and helping the Phillies edge out a 3–2 victory.
Left-hander Matt Strahm shut the door on the Blue Jays in the ninth, recording his third save of the season. The win was credited to Kerkering, who improved to 5–2 on the year.
With a sweep on the line Sunday, the Phillies’ offense came through in dominant fashion, locking up the win and completing a three-game series victory over the Blue Jays.
The Phillies erupted for 11 runs on 18 hits, cruising to a commanding 11–4 victory on a rainy, overcast Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia.
Nick Castellanos delivered the highlight of the day with a grand slam, while Alec Bohm chipped in with a home run, two hits, and three RBIs. Kemp had a breakout performance, collecting four hits, scoring three runs, and driving in two. The rookie is off to a hot start, batting .345 through his first eight games since being called up. Adding to the offensive firepower, Trea Turner, Schwarber, Realmuto, and Kepler each contributed with two hits apiece.
On the pitching side, Zack Wheeler delivered the kind of performance Phillies fans have come to expect—striking out nine over six strong innings while allowing just one earned run on 94 pitches. Wheeler improved to 7–2 on the season, and his 0.89 WHIP now ranks fourth in the league.
With Sunday’s win, the Phillies have now won four straight, narrowing the gap between themselves and the NL East–leading New York Mets to just 2.5 games.
They’ll look to keep the momentum rolling as they open a four-game series against the Marlins in Miami on Monday. Rookie right-hander Mick Abel (1–0) is slated to get the start.
After their road trip, the Phillies will return home Friday for a crucial showdown against the Mets—a series that could have major implications in the division race.
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