The Phillies scored nine runs. They collected 17 hits. J.T. Realmuto drove in four runs. Brandon Marsh had three hits.
And somehow, they still needed Jhoan Duran to rescue them.
That's where the Phillies are right now.
For most of Saturday evening, the Phillies looked headed toward the type of comfortable victory good teams occasionally get to enjoy. One day after being overwhelmed by Jacob Misiorowski, they answered with an offensive avalanche, pounding out 17 hits and building multiple leads against the Brewers.
Then the game reminded everyone why the Phillies remain a work in progress.
What should have been a relatively stress-free afternoon became another late-inning adventure before Duran recorded his 18th save in a 9-8 victory that improved the Phillies to 38-32.
The Phillies have now gone 29-13 since Don Mattingly took over as interim manager.
That's elite.
The route they continue taking to get there is another story.
Realmuto supplied much of the offense, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs, including a three-run homer that gave the Phillies a 7-3 lead in the sixth inning. Bryson Stott drove in two runs. Marsh collected three hits and delivered what ultimately became the game's biggest insurance run with an RBI single in the eighth.
At the time, that hit pushed the lead to 9-5.
It didn't feel nearly large enough a few minutes later.
Lost amid the offensive explosion was another abbreviated outing from Aaron Nola, who lasted just 4⅔ innings and allowed three runs. The veteran once again left the Phillies needing more than four innings from a bullpen that continues to inspire more anxiety than confidence.
José Alvarado started the trouble.
Entrusted with an 8-3 lead in the seventh inning, the left-hander surrendered a two-run homer to Jackson Chourio that immediately tightened the game. It was another difficult outing for Alvarado, whose ERA has climbed to 5.76 despite entering the season as one of the Phillies' most important late-inning arms.
The real drama arrived in the eighth.
Brad Keller entered with a four-run cushion and never appeared comfortable.
A single. A walk. Another single.
Bases loaded. Nobody out.
A wild pitch skipped to the backstop, bringing home a run. Christian Yelich followed with a sacrifice fly. Chourio then lined an RBI single into center field.
Suddenly, a game that felt finished was a one-run contest.
Keller eventually escaped, striking out Brice Turang before getting William Contreras to foul out to Bryce Harper. The damage could have been worse.
But it was enough to force the Phillies into another familiar situation.
Hand the ball to Duran and hope he cleans it up.
He did.
The All-Star candidate retired Milwaukee in order in the ninth inning, preserving a win that felt far more exhausting than it should have.
And therein lies one of the central questions facing these Phillies.
They continue to win.
Yet almost nothing comes easy.
Even after Saturday's offensive outburst, the Phillies remain underwater in run differential. They are 15-6 in one-run games, a mark that speaks to both resilience and the razor-thin margins they seem to live on nightly.
The formula is becoming familiar.
The offense builds a lead.
The middle innings become turbulent.
Duran arrives to extinguish the fire.
It's working for now.
But the Phillies entered the season believing Alvarado and Keller would help shorten games. Instead, Orion Kerkering has emerged as their most dependable bridge to the ninth inning, while the search for consistent bullpen answers continues.
That's manageable in June.
It's much more concerning when the calendar turns to October.
For one afternoon, the Phillies can celebrate another victory, another productive day from Realmuto and another series win opportunity on Sunday.
But when a team scores nine runs, records 17 hits and still finds itself one mistake away from disaster, it serves as a reminder that some of the Phillies' biggest questions remain unanswered.
The path from the starter to Duran continues to be far bumpier than a contender would prefer.
Recent Philly | Phillies Baseball News | Philadelphia Baseball Review
- Phillies bash their way to victory, but Alvarado and Keller another win into a nail-biter (June 13)
- For Boilermakers, growth matters more than the scoreboard during 13U transition (June 13)
- Phillies left searching for answers as Jacob Misiorowski delivers a masterpiece in Milwaukee (June 12)
- Phillies turn to Gabriel Rincones Jr. after Adolis GarcÃa injury, acquire Derek Hill for outfield depth (June 12)
- Schwarber, Harper, and Bohm help Phillies win series in Toronto, but GarcÃa injury casts shadow over 7-4 victory (June 10)
- Duran finally breaks: Blue Jays walk off Phillies after Wheeler-Cease classic (June 9)
- Cristopher Sánchez keeps dominating as Phillies ride left-hander past Blue Jays (June 8)
- Brandon Marsh stays red hot as Phillies power past White Sox to cap 5-1 homestand (June 7)
- West Chester falls one win short of NCAA Division II Baseball National Championship (June 7)
- Andrew Painter's growing pains continue as White Sox hand Phillies 6-3 loss (June 7)
- Kyle Schwarber had four singles, a headfirst slide and one of the strangest nights of his career (June 6)
- Kyle Lazer's complete-game masterpiece forces winner-take-all National Championship showdown (June 6)
- Adolis GarcÃa's extra work finally pays off as Phillies outfielder shows signs of life (June 5)
- West Chester rallies from four runs down, falls to Tampa in 10 innings of National Championship Series opener (June 5)
- Zack Wheeler flirts with no-hitter as Phillies sweep Padres for second time in eight days (June 4)
- Cristopher Sánchez's streak ends at 50⅔ innings, but a standing ovation steals the night as Phillies beat Padres (June 3)
- West Chester rallies past UT Tyler, advances to NCAA Division II National Championship Series (June 3)
- Voting opens for 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park (June 3)
- Phillies finally have clarity on Aidan Miller's injury, recovery timeline (June 3)
- Wyatt Spinks bringing speed, experience as Total Skills adjusts to life in the PSCBL (June 3)
- Bryce Harper homers, Phillies edge Padres 3-2 behind another strong night of pitching (June 2)
- Phillies vs. Padres series preview, pitching matchups, lineups, and notes (June 2)
- In the Philadelphia Amateur Baseball League, the love of the game still wins (June 1)
- West Chester moves within one win of National Championship Series (June 1)
- Phillies finish winning trip on sour note as Dodgers rout Andrew Painter (June 1)
- Edmundo Sosa's go-ahead home run lifts Phillies past Dodgers after Don Mattingly's controversial decision (May 31)
- Four Dodgers homers sink Zack Wheeler, Phillies in series opener at Los Angeles (May 30)
- West Chester Explodes Early, Rolls Past Indianapolis in National Finals Opener (May 29)
- Phillies vs. Dodgers Preview: Zack Wheeler leads Phillies into their biggest test yet (May 29)
- Four Wins Away: West Chester returns to Cary chasing another national championship (May 29)
- Philadelphia Baseball Review names 2026 Division I All-Philadelphia Team (May 28)
- PHILLIES: Inside Grover Cleveland Alexander’s 1911 scoreless streak — and how Cristopher Sánchez surpassed it 115 years later (May 28)
- Cristopher Sánchez breaks 115-year-old Phillies record in sweep of Padres (May 27)
- The Phillies needed Aaron Nola to stop the spiral - and he did just that in a win over the Padres (May 27)
- La Salle turns attention to City Title after capturing Philadelphia Catholic League Championship (May 26)
- Luzardo escapes trouble, Schwarber and Marsh go deep as Phillies blank Padres (May 26)
- By Memorial Day, the Phillies have shown exactly what they are — and why that’s a problem (May 25)
- Memorial Day and Baseball: Why the game still holds a special place in America’s heart (May 25)
- Saint Joseph’s season ends after VCU’s 10-run seventh inning in A-10 Tournament (May 23)
- Zack Wheeler dominates as Phillies shut out Guardians to snap losing streak (May 23)
- Saint Joseph’s blasts George Mason, awaits resumption of winner-take-all clash with VCU (May 22)
- Historic Cristopher Sánchez gem wasted as Guardians edge Phillies on late Manzardo homer (May 22)
- Red-Hot Guardians Meet Surging Cristopher Sánchez in Crucial Weekend Series at Citizens Bank Park (May 22)
- Julian Costa, West Chester dominate Millersville in Super Regional opener (May 22)
- Why the Phillies' Kyle Schwarber fits Philadelphia better than almost anyone (May 21)
- Phillies drop series to Reds as Aaron Nola’s struggles continue (May 20)
- Phillies News from the Philadelphia Baseball Review
Support the Mission. Fuel the Movement.
You’re not just funding journalism — you’re backing the future of youth baseball in Philly.
👉 Join us on Patreon »
