It took extra innings, but the payoff was worth it.
Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto delivered a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th inning on Monday night, lifting Philadelphia to a 6–5 comeback win over the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers in the series opener at Dodger Stadium.
However, this victory carried a little added weight, as Realmuto’s decisive swing not only secured the game but also clinched the NL East division title for the Phillies. With the win, Philadelphia locked up its second consecutive division crown and third straight 90-win season with two full weeks of regular-season play still remaining.
As reported by ESPN, this year’s clinch came earlier than any other in franchise history, with September 15 now standing as the Phillies’ earliest division-clinching date. Given the team’s recent surge, the achievement is hardly surprising. Philadelphia has won 11 of its first 14 games in September and has carried the league’s best record since the start of August.
Adding to the historical context, OptaSTATS notes that aside from the 1975 Cincinnati Reds, the Phillies are the only team to clinch a division title on September 15 or earlier after trailing by at least five games in their division at any point in the season. Fans may recall that on June 12, Philadelphia sat 5.5 games behind the New York Mets.
As for how the game itself unfolded, impending free agent Kyle Schwarber wasted no time getting the Phillies on the board, launching his 53rd home run of the season in the top of the first inning. Schwarber trails only Seattle’s Cal Raleigh on the league leaderboard.
The bats then went quiet for several frames, with the Phillies trailing 3–1 after six.
However, Philadelphia’s breakthrough came in the seventh inning. Staring at a 3–1 deficit, Bryson Stott knocked an RBI single, and Weston Wilson followed with a towering 417-foot, two-run homer to put Philadelphia in front, 4–3. The lead was short-lived, as Mookie Betts answered in the bottom half of the inning with a solo shot to tie the game. Not to be outdone, Bryce Harper delivered a go-ahead blast of his own in the top of the eighth, restoring the Phillies’ advantage at 5–4.
Still, Los Angeles refused to go quietly. The reigning World Series champions scratched out a run in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings, but in the 10th, Realmuto seized the moment. His sacrifice fly to right field broke the tie and delivered a 6–5 win for Philadelphia.
“We’re a really good team,” said Harper. “I think we’re playing really good baseball right now, and we’ve just got to keep going and keep understanding we’ve got a bigger picture.”
Oddsmakers seem to agree with Harper’s assessment. According to ESPN Bet, Philadelphia sits at +500 to win the World Series, trailing only the Dodgers at +450. FanDuel Sportsbook places the Phillies in a similar spot, listing them at +550, again just behind Los Angeles at +440.
For Phillies fans everywhere, Red October is officially back.
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