Aaron Nola earned his 14th win of the season, while Kyle Schwarber and Weston Wilson each drove in a pair of runs as the Phillies wrapped up the regular season with a 6-3 victory over the Nationals on Sunday. The win helped Philadelphia avoid a series sweep and head into the postseason with momentum, finishing with a 95-67 record—five games better than last year and the franchise’s best mark since 2011.
That 2011 season was the last time the Phillies captured the NL East, and while they secured a Wild Card spot this year, their 95 wins still trailed only the Dodgers in the National League. A first-round bye gives the Phillies some extra rest before they host the NL Central champion Brewers or the NL’s third Wild Card team in the Division Series, starting next Saturday at Citizens Bank Park.
Washington’s Luis GarcÃa Jr. opened the scoring with a first-inning home run off Nola, who gave up three runs over five-plus innings, striking out seven. Despite falling two outs shy of 200 innings for the season, Nola reiterated that the team’s success was the main focus.
The Phillies jumped on Nationals starter Jake Irvin early, loading the bases in the first inning. Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm each brought in runs with groundouts to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead. Irvin settled down for a few innings before Schwarber’s two-run single in the fifth, followed by Wilson’s two-run double, stretched the lead and chased Irvin from the game.
Irvin, who finished with the NL lead in losses at 14, allowed six runs over 4 1/3 innings, and the Nationals offense struggled to mount a comeback. Dylan Crews’ leadoff triple in the sixth ended Nola’s afternoon, but the bullpen held steady. José Ruiz loaded the bases in the ninth, but a pair of strikeouts and a game-ending flyout secured his first save in 264 career appearances.
Philadelphia rested several key players, including Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto, but Nick Castellanos made history by becoming the first Phillie to play in all 162 games since Freddy Galvis in 2017. He was lifted after the second inning to a well-earned ovation from the crowd.
As the Phillies prepare for the postseason, their depth and experience will be critical in making another deep run.
