With the Philadelphia Phillies’ quest for a National League East title complete, they will continue their three-game road series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.
The series opener Monday lived up to the early billing as the Phillies pulled out a 6-5 victory in 10 innings. Kyle Schwarber hit his NL-leading 53rd home run, Bryce Harper also went deep in the eighth, and J.T. Realmuto had a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the 10th.
Just as big as the homers by Schwarber and Harper was a two-run shot from No. 9 hitter Weston Wilson in the seventh inning that gave the Phillies a brief 4-3 lead.
“It was a heavyweight fight, man,” Harper told reporters. “It’s a really good team over there, obviously. They punch, we punch. They punch, we punch. I thought we played really good baseball.”
Philadelphia is building October momentum with 14 victories in their past 18 games while clinching a second consecutive NL East title on Monday. The Phillies also strengthened their chances for a top-two record in the National League and a bye into the divisional round of the playoffs.
“They just kept grinding, kept fighting and kept moving forward, and that’s what you’ve got to do,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said, referencing the loss of staff ace Zack Wheeler, a right-hander who is out for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery last month to remove a blood clot near his throwing shoulder.
Philadelphia left-hander Cristopher Sanchez (13-5, 2.57 ERA) will start Tuesday’s game after giving up one run over each of his past three outings. In three career starts against the Dodgers, he is 2-0 with a 3.57 ERA.
The Dodgers will turn to right-hander Shohei Ohtani (1-1, 3.75), who will pitch against the Phillies for the first time in his career. He also will make just his second start since Aug. 27.
Ohtani’s last start came Sept. 5 at Baltimore, when he threw 70 pitches to get through 3 2/3 scoreless innings. His pitching schedule has been out of sync due to a respiratory illness at the start of the month.
After making his first playoff appearance last season, doing it as a designated hitter, Ohtani would pitch in a playoff game for the first time in his career. Manager Dave Roberts intends to use Ohtani as a starter in October.
The Dodgers currently lead the NL West by two games over the San Diego Padres.
Unlike last season, when the Dodgers’ bullpen stood tall in the postseason, the relievers have been the weak link of late. Three Dodgers left-handers gave up four of the Phillies’ six runs. High-leverage right-hander Blake Treinen gave up a run and took the loss.
“We’re trying to see which guys step up with opportunities,” Roberts said of the relievers. “Tanner (Scott), for example, the last two outings have been very good, and it’s nice to see. Just trying to see who will seize the opportunity, and we’ll see how it plays out.”
Struggling less than two weeks ago, the Los Angeles offense is starting to emerge with Max Muncy, Mookie Betts and Andy Pages each hitting a home run on Monday. Muncy hit his first home run since returning from an oblique injury, and Betts has gone deep five times over his past 11 games.
–Field Level Media
