So here’s how you turn September into a coronation. You take your division rival, the one that’s been chasing you all summer, and you pound them into submission. You do it with a journeyman outfielder who suddenly looks like Babe Ruth, a superstar who keeps finding ways to add to his legend, and a rotation piece who pitches like an ace.
That’s what the Phillies just did to the Mets on Wednesday night in South Philly.
Max Kepler, who drove in only five runs the entire month of July, matched that total in one electric night — a three-hit, two-homer eruption that sent Citizens Bank Park into party mode. Bryce Harper joined the fun, unloading his 25th blast of the season. And Cristopher Sánchez? All he did was carve up New York for six innings of one-run ball, giving the Phillies a stress-free ride to an 11–3 rout.
That win didn’t just bury the Mets deeper into their tailspin. It stretched the Phillies’ NL East lead to 10 games with 16 to play, shrinking their magic number to seven. One more win Thursday, and that number tumbles to five.
Meanwhile, the Mets’ descent continues. Juan Soto tried to stop the bleeding with his 39th home run and a three-hit night, but New York has now lost five straight and clings to a two-game edge over Cincinnati and San Francisco for the final wild-card slot.
Kepler, who hadn’t had a five-RBI game since 2016, turned the scoreboard into his own highlight reel. Harper’s homer came off reliever Ryne Stanek, and Brandon Marsh added three hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored for a lineup that bruised and battered Mets pitching all night.
Clay Holmes was the biggest victim, getting yanked after facing just two batters in the fifth. His line told the story: four runs, six hits, three walks, two plunked hitters. In fact, New York pitchers hit four Phillies on the night, underscoring their unraveling.
And while the Mets stumble, the Phillies’ October picture keeps getting brighter. They maintained a cushion over the Dodgers for the No. 2 seed, and cut Milwaukee’s lead for the top seed in the National League down to 2½ games.
So what’s next?
A chance at a four-game sweep. A chance to push the Mets closer to collapse. And a chance to move one giant step closer to a division title that feels more inevitable by the day.
Quotable
"I'm really proud of the ballclub," said manager Rob Thomson. " ... I think everybody understands where we're at and what we need to do to get this thing done. And things change in a heartbeat, so I'm not counting my chickens right now." - MLB.comLoading Phillies schedule...
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