Phillies Win Third Straight Series in 7-2 Victory Over Arizona
May 3, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Max Kepler (17) hits a two RBI home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the twenty-second inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Despite the showers throughout the game, the Phillies played their best baseball all around in their 7-2 win over the Diamondbacks. Elite fielding, power-contact combo, vintage pitching, and heads-up base running were better than ever, adding on to the continuous growth this team displays.
A third straight series win means a lot for this club when you not only look at the standings in the National League, but it also means a lot for the team’s attitude and morale. This comes after the Phillies lost a season-worst five straight games in April, which the team seemed to have put behind them since.
Nola Becoming Serious
In his last start, Aaron Nola showed his vintage self as he only allowed one run to the Chicago Cubs. It seems, however, he has beaten that last start with tonight’s performance. Though he had a pitch count of 109, the result of many three-ball counts, Nola gave up no earned runs and struck out eight batters. Although he found himself in these three-ball counts, Nola stayed composed as only one batter was walked tonight.
Comparing his last two starts to the beginning of the season, Nola has made a severe comeback with pitches like his change-up, sinker, and his fastball. The ability to catch a lefty batter looking at a sinker on the inside, which had been a theme during prior seasons for Nola, has been a weapon for him as of late. Not only did the off-speed improve, but for the first time this season, Nola reached 94 mph on his fastball, which is massive considering his velocity has been on a sad decline over the past three seasons.
If he can continue to fool hitters with his sinker and fix up his knuckle-curve, Nola will be able to continue his hot streak. Until we see him on the mound again, fans can be relieved with back-to-back quality starts for Nola.
What Has Gotten Into These Bats?
A huge reason for this stretch of dominance for the Phillies has to be their hitting, which looks completely foreign compared to their series against the New York Mets recently.
If it had not been said last night, Max Kepler made it known that he means business in Philadelphia, as he kicked off tonight’s scoring with a first-pitch home run to his new favorite spot, right-center field, the spot of his go-ahead home run last night.
Another Phillie who continues to make a case for himself is Trea Turner, who has seen all kinds of stretches, good and bad. With another multi-hit night, Turner has brought himself over the .300 mark for his batting average with .303. Trea has noticeably worked on areas such as hand speed, as quick contact is good enough to put the ball over the second baseman’s head.
Another standout hitter has been J.T. Realmuto, who also had a multi-hit night tonight and a home run. With already being tops in defense for catchers, the strides Realmuto has made in terms of hitting are going to be more and more important down the road.
Bryce Digs Further Into His Hole
Although Bryce Harper would like to be on the list above with Turner, Kepler, and J.T., it will take time for him to regain confidence at the plate. Harper continues to lose track of the breaking ball, which is an area he excelled at throughout his entire career.
It might take a change in the lineup or a different approach at the plate, but it seems Bryce is moving too fast and becoming anxious when he falls behind in the count. On the bright side, many fans have minor concerns, as this issue is very common and often treated with determination.
Maybe a Break Was Needed After All
Brandon Marsh, who had the same issue earlier this season as Harper has right now, found a way to climb out of it tonight with two hits in his return from the injured list. Even his outs were hard contact, one where he ended up getting on base with his hustle.
After a successful rehab assignment with Lehigh Valley, Marsh was called up this morning with the Phillies optioning Cal Stevenson. Marsh was able to fill the spot of the red-hot Johan Rojas with a strong performance to break the ice after his injury.
Ranger Hits the Mound in Series Finale Tomorrow Afternoon
Ranger Suarez, who started the season on the IL, makes his first start of the season tomorrow in hopes of a sweep of the Diamondbacks.
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Luke Raidy
Luke has covering the the Flyers and Phillies for Philly Sports Reports since 2025. He is a junior at North Penn and being a huge Philly sports fan has brought so many experiences, such as going to the NLDS, NLCS, and even the World Series in 2022. He has also met former superstars in the city of Philadelphia, such as Wayne Simmonds from the Flyers. Though being a student-athlete, Luke enjoys his time where he is writing and reporting on Philadelphia sports.
