Kyle Schwarber has hit 120 home runs in his three seasons
with the Phillies, but none have been as pivotal as the grand slam he delivered
in the fourth inning on Wednesday night.
With the Phillies having won just six
of their last 20 games and their NL East lead shrinking to six games, the team
needed a spark. While one swing won’t solve everything, Schwarber’s blast was a
crucial step toward stabilizing their season.
“It was huge,” said manager Rob Thomson. “Schwarber seems to come up with some big home runs, especially when we really need it. It was good to see.”
The grand slam highlighted a 9-5 victory that felt as close to a must-win game as you can get in August. Trailing by three, Schwarber crushed an Edward Cabrera changeup into the first row of the left-field seats, giving the Phillies a 6-5 lead.
“It felt good to be in a situation where you can come
through,” Schwarber said. “I was able to get a pitch and put a good swing on
the ball. I feel like our guys are doing a really good job of weathering
whatever has happened over the last couple of weeks where we haven’t been
playing our best baseball. We got the right guys to get through this and come
out better for it.”
Alec Bohm continued the momentum with a single in the fifth
inning, extending his on-base streak to 31 games and recording his 600th career
hit. He added an RBI single in the seventh for an insurance run. J.T. Realmuto
further padded the lead with a two-run double down the right-field line later
in the same frame.
A SCHWARBER GRAND SLAM pic.twitter.com/EZXj0CT70y
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) August 15, 2024
Brandon Marsh, who entered the day in a 1-for-15 slump over
the last five games, contributed with a pair of singles, while Bryce Harper
chipped in with two doubles and an RBI.
On the mound, starter Tyler Phillips struggled, giving up
three runs in the first inning and five runs on nine hits over 4 1/3 innings.
Since tossing a complete game on July 27, he’s allowed 17 earned runs over 11
innings of work (13.90 ERA).
“I think right now I’m doing too much,” Phillips said.
“Trying to think of where the hand is, what the pitch shape is, whatever it is.
It’s unacceptable and it’s embarrassing to be out there and have a first inning
like that. Right now, I’m pitching and falling behind and I’m leaving pitches
over the middle of the plate and guys are taking advantage of it.”
The bullpen, however, was outstanding. Jose Ruiz, Matt
Strahm, Jeff Hoffman, Jose Alvarado, and Carlos Estevez combined for 4 2/3
scoreless innings, with Hoffman particularly impressive after allowing a
leadoff single to Jonah Bride and then striking out the next three batters.
“Hoffman’s slider was as good as I’ve seen it all year,” Thomson said.
Earlier in the day, the Phillies clubhouse opened to the
media an hour later than scheduled. While no official confirmation of a team
meeting was given, the delay suggested its possibility. Trea Turner, who has
struggled since the All-Star break, was given a day off, with Nick Castellanos
moving to the second spot in the batting order. Turner is expected to return to
the lineup on Thursday.
The win marked the Phillies’ 26th come-from-behind victory
of the season. They will now turn their attention to another NL East rival, as
the Nationals arrive for a four-game series starting Thursday. Right-hander
Zack Wheeler will take the mound for the Phillies, with southpaw Mitchell
Parker starting for Washington.
“The energy was there with us, now we need to keep it
going,” Schwarber said.
