Phillies win final regular season home game against Cubs, clinch first-round bye
Philadelphia Phillies via X
After losing the hangover game last night to the Cubs, the Philadelphia Phillies came back strong to win tonight’s game 9-6. And with the Brewers’ loss to the Pirates, the Phillies clinched a first-round bye.
Trea Turner got the scoring going in the first inning with a solo home run off of Cubs’ starter Javier Assad. Bryce Harper then walked and Nick Castellanos hit his 30th double of the year. Bryson Stott hit a double of his own, scoring two to make it 3-0 right out of the gate. Casty then hit a solo homer in the 4th to make it 4-0.
After blanking Chicago through three innings, Cristopher Sanchez gave up a three-run homer to make it 4-3 in the top of 4th. Kody Clemens then hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 4th, making the score 5-3. The Cubbies tacked on another run in the 5th, which made the score 5-4.
The Phillies finished 2024 with a 54-26 record in 80 games at Citizens Bank Park (.675 win %). It ties the single-season CBP record for wins, previously set in 2010. That .675 winning percentage at CBP is the 2nd highest by a Phillies team in their home ballpark since at least 1900 (1977, .741)
(Almost) Everybody Hits
Starting pitcher Sanchez went 4 and 2/3 innings for the Phillies, allowing four runs. Phils’ reliever Jose Ruiz came in and got out of the top of the 5th, keeping the score close at 5-4. Then in the bottom of the 5th, Brandon Marsh cranked a bases-clearing 3-run double to bring the score to 8-4.
Ruiz came in again for the top of 6th, giving up a solo homer to Cubs’ infielder Nico Hoerner, his second of the evening. This made the score 8-5, Phightins. Orion Kerkering then pitched a scoreless top of the 7th. After a base hit by Bryson Stott in the bottom of the 7th, JT Realmuto hit an RBI single, adding another run to make the score 9-5 in favor of the good guys.
Jeff Hoffman pitched a scoreless 8th for the Phils. Carlos Estévez tossed a 1-run inning to secure the win in the 9th. The final score was 9-6. With 13 hits for the Phils in this game, the only player who didn’t record one was Austin Hayes, who went 0-4.
First-Round Bye Secured
Because the Milwaukee Brewers lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates tonight, the Phillies secured a first-round bye in the 2024 playoffs. They end the regular season with a 3-game series in Washington against the Nationals starting Friday, with a chance to clinch home-field advantage in the upcoming Red October.
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Jason Sander
Jason is a freelance writer with 17 years of experience writing for various industries. He brings a passion to Philly Sports Reports as a fan of the Eagles and Phillies for over two decades.
