NEW YORK --The Phillies got what they needed Friday night: a win in the Bronx. But it came wrapped in tension, noise, and a booming reminder that their bullpen might still be the biggest obstacle between now and October.
J.T. Realmuto’s three-run homer in the seventh gave the Phillies a lead they never gave back. Kyle Schwarber’s second two-run blast of the night, this one in the eighth, gave them just enough breathing room. And somehow, some way, the Phillies pulled away and held on for a 12–5 victory over the Yankees on a night when the ball didn’t just carry — it flew.
The two clubs combined for seven home runs, including three solo shots, in a game that felt like batting practice with playoff implications.
Trea Turner and Schwarber combined to go 7-for-10 in the win.
Schwarber’s second homer — his 36th of the year — was a missile into the Bronx night that stretched the Phillies’ lead to 8–5. He drove in four runs, reached career hit No. 1,000, and reminded everyone what happens when he’s seeing pitches that look like beach balls.
"I think it's the work," Schwarber said. "I've always been a big believer that you keep working, working, and working, so when I go out there on the field it’s just about competing. I got to go out there and find a way to help the team."
But the night nearly unraveled before it ended.
Jordan Romano, called on in the seventh to protect a 6–3 lead, served up a leadoff homer to Anthony Volpe — a 340-foot chip shot that barely cleared the wall in left on Volpe’s bobblehead night. Then Ben Rice singled, advanced on a balk, moved to third, and scored on a deep Aaron Judge sacrifice fly that missed tying the game by a few feet. The crowd roared. The scoreboard read 6–5. And the Phillies once again found themselves praying the bullpen could just get them to the ninth.
Romano’s outing was another flare sent skyward: this team, as constructed, needs bullpen help — yesterday.
The seventh had started with the Yankees’ defense, once again, opening the door.
With runners on second and third and the corners in, Paul Goldschmidt fielded a slow roller from Nick Castellanos and fired home — wide and off target. Trea Turner scored. Two pitches later, Realmuto crushed a changeup at the knees from Luke Weaver into the left-field seats. Just like that: 6–3, Phillies.
It was another Yankees miscue — their eighth error in four games — and one more mistake this Phillies lineup was happy to punish.
Earlier, Schwarber set the tone.
Down 2–0 in the fifth, Turner led off with a single. Schwarber followed by launching a 93-mph fastball from Will Warren 413 feet to straightaway center, over the netting above Monument Park. A game-tying blast. A milestone swing. And a thunderclap that changed the vibe instantly.
"Schwarber is a monster right now," skipper Rob Thomson said. "I've said it all along — I don't know where we would be without him. He comes up with big hit after big hit after big hit. It's amazing."
The Yankees, of course, did what they do best to build their lead.
Cody Bellinger sent the very first pitch he saw — a curveball at the knees — into the second deck in right. Austin Wells added a solo shot an inning later. That made it 2–0 Yankees before Taijuan Walker had even found his rhythm.
Walker lasted 5 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on six hits. It was his longest outing since May 30. Since returning to the rotation on July 8, he’s logged 13 2/3 innings with a 4.61 ERA and 1.46 WHIP — not dominant, but enough to give the Phillies a chance.
"I thought it was great," Thomson said. "He gave up three homers, but they all were solo, and he didn't walk a guy. Three punchouts with a lot of soft contact — I thought he was really good."
Walker also tweaked his ankle on a ball he tried to field in the second inning. He stayed in the game after a visit from the trainer but had the ankle taped between innings.
"I got into the sixth and really wanted to get that last out, but left that pitch out over the middle to Stanton," Walker said. "But I thought overall it was good. It gave us a chance to win."
They mashed. They capitalized. They survived.
Seven home runs. Three lead changes. One bullpen warning siren. And in the end, a win the Phillies needed — and one that came with a not-so-subtle message for the front office:
This lineup might be October-ready.
The bullpen? Still very much under construction.
J.T. Realmuto’s three-run homer in the seventh gave the Phillies a lead they never gave back. Kyle Schwarber’s second two-run blast of the night, this one in the eighth, gave them just enough breathing room. And somehow, some way, the Phillies pulled away and held on for a 12–5 victory over the Yankees on a night when the ball didn’t just carry — it flew.
The two clubs combined for seven home runs, including three solo shots, in a game that felt like batting practice with playoff implications.
Trea Turner and Schwarber combined to go 7-for-10 in the win.
Schwarber’s second homer — his 36th of the year — was a missile into the Bronx night that stretched the Phillies’ lead to 8–5. He drove in four runs, reached career hit No. 1,000, and reminded everyone what happens when he’s seeing pitches that look like beach balls.
"I think it's the work," Schwarber said. "I've always been a big believer that you keep working, working, and working, so when I go out there on the field it’s just about competing. I got to go out there and find a way to help the team."
But the night nearly unraveled before it ended.
Jordan Romano, called on in the seventh to protect a 6–3 lead, served up a leadoff homer to Anthony Volpe — a 340-foot chip shot that barely cleared the wall in left on Volpe’s bobblehead night. Then Ben Rice singled, advanced on a balk, moved to third, and scored on a deep Aaron Judge sacrifice fly that missed tying the game by a few feet. The crowd roared. The scoreboard read 6–5. And the Phillies once again found themselves praying the bullpen could just get them to the ninth.
Romano’s outing was another flare sent skyward: this team, as constructed, needs bullpen help — yesterday.
The seventh had started with the Yankees’ defense, once again, opening the door.
With runners on second and third and the corners in, Paul Goldschmidt fielded a slow roller from Nick Castellanos and fired home — wide and off target. Trea Turner scored. Two pitches later, Realmuto crushed a changeup at the knees from Luke Weaver into the left-field seats. Just like that: 6–3, Phillies.
It was another Yankees miscue — their eighth error in four games — and one more mistake this Phillies lineup was happy to punish.
Earlier, Schwarber set the tone.
Down 2–0 in the fifth, Turner led off with a single. Schwarber followed by launching a 93-mph fastball from Will Warren 413 feet to straightaway center, over the netting above Monument Park. A game-tying blast. A milestone swing. And a thunderclap that changed the vibe instantly.
"Schwarber is a monster right now," skipper Rob Thomson said. "I've said it all along — I don't know where we would be without him. He comes up with big hit after big hit after big hit. It's amazing."
The Yankees, of course, did what they do best to build their lead.
Cody Bellinger sent the very first pitch he saw — a curveball at the knees — into the second deck in right. Austin Wells added a solo shot an inning later. That made it 2–0 Yankees before Taijuan Walker had even found his rhythm.
Walker lasted 5 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on six hits. It was his longest outing since May 30. Since returning to the rotation on July 8, he’s logged 13 2/3 innings with a 4.61 ERA and 1.46 WHIP — not dominant, but enough to give the Phillies a chance.
"I thought it was great," Thomson said. "He gave up three homers, but they all were solo, and he didn't walk a guy. Three punchouts with a lot of soft contact — I thought he was really good."
Walker also tweaked his ankle on a ball he tried to field in the second inning. He stayed in the game after a visit from the trainer but had the ankle taped between innings.
"I got into the sixth and really wanted to get that last out, but left that pitch out over the middle to Stanton," Walker said. "But I thought overall it was good. It gave us a chance to win."
They mashed. They capitalized. They survived.
Seven home runs. Three lead changes. One bullpen warning siren. And in the end, a win the Phillies needed — and one that came with a not-so-subtle message for the front office:
This lineup might be October-ready.
The bullpen? Still very much under construction.
Schwarber's Milestone
As luck would have it, a trio of Phillies fans in the sold-out Yankee Stadium crowd ended up with Schwarber’s 1,000th career hit — the first of his two home runs. After the game, they waited outside the visiting clubhouse and were all smiles when Schwarber came out to meet them. He handed over two signed baseballs. As he turned to go back inside to grab a third, one of the fans laughed and shouted, “Don’t worry about it — just re-sign with Philly this offseason.” Schwarber laughed, then returned moments later with the third signed ball — and posed for a few photographs.
Asked about the moment afterward in the clubhouse, Schwarber smiled.
"I think it's great," Schwarber said. "For everything we do in the clubhouse — how we prepare and work, how we show up every day and try to get a win — I think our fans latch on to that."
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