Temperatures weren’t the only thing rising across the Philadelphia region this past weekend. In a highly anticipated showdown between the Phillies and Mets—teams battling for early control of the NL East—both offenses brought the heat. Philadelphia exploded for double-digit runs on Friday, while New York answered with a power surge of their own on Saturday, setting the stage for a dramatic series finale. On Sunday Night Baseball, the Phillies delivered the decisive blow, defeating the Mets to clinch the series and seize sole possession of the division lead.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at how this pivotal three-game showdown at Citizens Bank Park unfolded.
Heading into Friday night’s contest, the Mets were mired in a six-game losing streak, while the Phillies had taken three of four from the Marlins in Miami—a sharp contrast in momentum between the two clubs. That trend continued in the series opener, as Philadelphia erupted for 13 hits and 10 runs in a dominant 10–2 rout.
After plating two runs in the fourth inning, the Phillies broke the game open with a six-run seventh, highlighted by a Trea Turner RBI double, an Alec Bohm jam-shot RBI single, a Nick Castellanos RBI single, and a bases-clearing double by Bryson Stott that drove in three. Castellanos capped off the night with a two-run homer in the eighth to pad the lead. He finished the game 3-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBIs.
Outfielder Brandon Marsh also contributed three hits of his own, giving the Phillies exceptional production from the No. 9 spot in the lineup. He’s been red-hot of late, providing fans with plenty to be excited about. The Georgia native’s recent surge hasn’t gone unnoticed by teammates, who recognize the value he’s bringing to the bottom of the lineup with his consistent production.
“He’s hitting the ball the other way really, really well,” Turner acknowledged. “He hit some balls in Miami that he got out on. I mean, like, man, they’re such good swings. Just feels so consistent. He takes his walks. He’s still pulling the ball at times, too. It looks really good right now. I think that makes a huge difference, especially in the nine-hole, and getting on base for whoever’s after him. I think it’s big.”
Manager Rob Thomson echoed the sentiment, “He’s locked in right now.”
On the pitching side, Zack Wheeler was once again dominant, continuing to build a strong case for a starting spot in next month’s All-Star Game—set to take place in his home state of Georgia. Facing his former team, Wheeler tossed five scoreless innings, allowing just four hits while striking out eight. Although he didn’t factor into the decision, he remains 7–2 on the season with a 2.61 ERA. His 118 strikeouts currently rank third in the league.
The win went to Tanner Banks, who tossed 1.2 hitless innings in relief without issuing a walk.
While the Phillies’ bats stole the show on Friday night, it was the Mets’ offense that roared back to life on Saturday. New York launched seven home runs—three of them coming in back-to-back-to-back fashion during the third inning—en route to an 11–4 victory that snapped their seven-game losing streak.
Brandon Nimmo and Juan Soto accounted for four of the seven long balls, with each going deep twice. Soto delivered a night to remember, finishing 4-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored, as the Mets racked up 15 hits in total.
It was a tough outing for Phillies rookie Mick Abel, who made his fifth Major League start on Saturday night. The right-hander lasted just three innings, throwing 73 pitches while allowing six hits and four earned runs—all of which came via solo home runs. Since being called up, Abel has given up seven home runs over 23.1 innings pitched.
After the game, Abel was candid about what went wrong and where he plans to improve, “I wasn’t locating my fastball, so that’s probably what I’m going to get after in my pen this week. … Just get back to work tomorrow.”
Offensively, Bohm, Kyle Schwarber, and J.T. Realmuto each recorded two hits.
With the series knotted at one game apiece and both teams tied for first in the NL East, the Phillies handed the ball to Jesús Luzardo for Sunday’s decisive matchup.
Luzardo did not disappoint, giving the home crowd of 42,155 plenty to cheer about. He tossed 6.2 innings of shutout baseball, allowing just three hits (all singles) while striking out seven. It appears his rough patch between late May and early June is now behind him. Luzardo holds a 7–3 record with a 4.08 ERA, and his 104 strikeouts are tied for 11th in the league.
Offensively, the Phillies collected 10 hits and plated seven runs en route to a decisive 7–1 victory. Most of the damage came in the fourth inning, when Philadelphia sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs. Schwarber opened the scoring with a solo home run, setting the tone. After a double by Castellanos and a walk to Realmuto, rookie sensation Otto Kemp singled to left, driving in Castellanos and moving Realmuto to third. With two men on, Edmundo Sosa—making just his second start in the past 12 days—launched a no-doubt, three-run homer to right-center that traveled 430 feet.
Sosa capped off a strong performance with a three-hit night, making the most of his opportunity on the field. Thomson didn’t hold back in his praise: “That’s what he can do; he’s an electric guy. There are nights when he looks like an All-Star.”
Although the Mets still hold a 4–2 edge in the season series—thanks to a sweep of the Phillies earlier this year—Philadelphia will savor this past weekend, with momentum clearly on its side as the All-Star break approaches. Now 47–31 and winners of eight of their last ten, the Phillies sit alone atop the NL East. The two won’t meet again until August 25–27 at Citi Field.
The Phillies will hit the road for their next two series—three games in Houston against the Astros, followed by a three-game set in Atlanta against the Braves. They’ll return home to Citizens Bank Park on June 30 to open a series against the San Diego Padres.
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