Phillies Outlast A’s in 11-Inning Thriller for Ninth Straight Win
May 23, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a run against the Athletics during the ninth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images
Coming into tonight’s Saturday night clash with the Athletics, the Phillies were hunting for their 9th straight win, and the A’s were searching for a spark. They are losers of their last 11 games, and now are 8-18 in their temporary home in Sacramento.
Cristopher Sanchez started the 3rd inning with 54 pitches, and that is likely due to the number of 3-ball counts he got into, 7 out of the first 12 batters faced in the first 2 innings. It is very out of place for him this season, and it cost him pitches, which is the reason he exited with a line that’s not very like him this season: 4 2/3 innings pitched, 7 hits, 2 earned runs, 3 walks, and 6 strikeouts. While he had only 86 pitches, Phillies manager Rob Thomson saw enough and went to the bullpen.
To start the 4th, Alec Bohm launched a missile into left field when Athletics starter Jeffrey Springs hung a 79 mph change-up that was center cut. He didn’t hesitate, and it looks like he figured out the puzzle that is the A’s lefty starter.
Lefty pitchers that don’t throw hard have been the kryptonite for the Phils this season, but in this at-bat, Bohm waited on the changeup, and when he saw it, he hit it out of the shortened porch in left.
He also played some great defense, turning 2 double plays that shut down two A’s rallies in consecutive innings. Over the last 30 games, Bohm has been at the center of much of the Phillies’ offense, and tonight was no different. In this time, he is hitting .324, hitting safely in 25 of those 30 games. It has to feel good after the dismal start he had.
Kyle Schwarber gave the Phils the lead in the 6th with a no-doubt home run to right. It only travelled 376 ft, but it got out in a hurry. That is likely due to the elite 79.1 mph bat speed according to Baseball Savant. In addition to bat speed, the perfect launch angle of 28 degrees speaks to Schwarber hitting the sweet spot perfectly.
That lead didn’t last long because the A’s battered Jose Ruiz and Carlos Hernandez. They roared back in the bottom of the 6th with a double by Lawrence Butler, then a single by Nick Kurtz, eventually loading the bases with one out. Tyler Soderstrom popped up in foul territory, and uncharacteristically, J.T. Realmuto dropped the ball, thanks in part to the swirling wind around home plate, which has been an issue at Sutter Health Park in night games due to the unique setup of the park and the proximity to the Sacramento River. On the very next pitch, Soderstrom singled home the go-ahead run.
In the 7th inning the Fightin Phillies earned their name when Brandon Marsh entered the game and promptly walked, Max Kepler took a pitch off the foot and went to first, Trea Turner hit into a double play, and Athletics manager Mark Kotsay played the numbers and brought in Justin Stearner to pitch to Bryce Harper. Stearner hit Harper last night, but the real determining factor was that Steraner has only given up 3 base hits to lefties all season, but tonight Bryce got the last laugh, singling home Marsh to tie the game again. The Athletics’ bullpen is one of the reasons they have had a terrible May. In the last 70 innings pitched for the A’s bullpen, they have given up 73 runs, 71 of them are earned, and that struck once again.
In the 8th inning, Brent Rooker took a hanging slider from Joe Ross, 410 ft, and gave the A’s the lead once again, 6-5. Ross was playing with fire in this outing, leaving pitches up; he was just missing barrels until Rooker caught up with him.
Athletics sensational closer Mason Miller came into the 9th looking for revenge for last night’s shelling by the Phils, and after Marsh struck out and looked foolish doing so, Kepler didn’t look phased and took a 101 mph fastball, and hit it 101 mph, out to right center tying the game, and blowing saves in consecutive nights. After that, he looked out of sorts, allowing a single to Harper and walking Schwarber before putting away Nick Castellanos with a 103 mph fastball. Tanner Banks came in and shut down the Athletics, meaning another extra-innings game for the Phils.
In the 10th, both teams had their chances to score, but the Athletics had the best chance loading the bases and on a strange play, it looked like Kurtz may have injured himself before he got to third, bringing in former A’s first round pick, Logan Davidson for his first Major League action, and on a CJ Alexander fly to short center, Marsh threw an absolute seed to Realmuto and to nail Davidson at the plate. Davidson made a slight base running gaffe by using his right leg to tag up with which likely cost him a step, and erased the winning run.
The top of the 11th was a different story. Kepler was the ghost runner, Turner walked, then Schwarber hit a solid two-run double, and was awarded third because of defensive interference with A’s first baseman Davidson. Shawarber scored on a sac fly off the bat of Castellanos.
Max Lazar came in for the 11th, and of course, it came down to Lazar having Logan Davidson with 2 outs, and promptly struck him out — safe to say he won’t want to remember the first time he was on the field in his career— giving the Phils their 9th straight win, first time since June 2022.
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Steve Hamilton
Steve may have been born in California, but don’t let that fool you. After dating a local woman and clashing with her and her family over sports for decades, he has an affinity for Philly sports. Balancing love for Philly and Bay Area sports teams may seem impossible, we can all agree that the Cowboys are the true evil.
