Taijaun Walker, Phillies Surge Past Orioles to Take First Two of Series
Aug 5, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh (L) celebrates with outfielder Max Kepler (R) after his home run during the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The Phillies went off of last night’s result in tonight’s 5-0 shutout win.
After a power surge last night from known sluggers such as Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, lesser sluggers in Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh both left the yard to provide the major run support tonight.
Tonight’s game will be a game the Phillies hope to look after, as both the offense and the defense excelled to work together, resulting in that shutout victory and a series win over the Baltimore Orioles.
Walker Goes Six Strong Tonight
One of the main reasons the Phillies cruised through tonight’s game is because of the starting pitcher in Taijuan Walker. Walker, who is having a solid year compared to the last two seasons, still had not impressed until now. He went six innings with giving up only four hits and zero runs for the win and the quality start. On top of that, he walked zero batters and picked off a man to end the second inning.
Starts from Walker, just like tonight’s is going to be crucial down the stretch. They will help preserve bullpen setup pieces such as Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm, and Tanner Banks, as the Phillies head down the stretch these next two months.
Overall, Walker has shown tonight that he can take the fifth day during the regular season to greatly benefit the rest of the Phillies.
Bottom of the Order Shines
With the top of the order crushing the baseball last night, it was time for the bottom of the order to find the rhythm and take part in the recent fun. They did exactly that, as Marsh, Kepler, and Bryson Stott each had a pair of hits on the night. These three were also the trio that brought in the five runs for the Phillies’ offense tonight.
Kepler, who had been down at a career low, hung on tonight with an early home run to put the Phillies up by three runs, and a double later on, where he would later cross home plate. This was a really important game for Max, as he needed to reset mentally and join in on the slugging fest. Since Rob Thomson had made it clear that Kepler would continue to play at this point in time, a game like this from Max will be appreciated down the stretch.
The same story goes for Marsh, who mirrored Kepler’s stats tonight. A double, a home run, and a pair of RBIs for Brandon is a good way to get back on track, as Marsh is now hitting .267 on the year. If he can get up to .270 and have hits like tonight’s, where he brings in important runs, he, too, will help this ball club out a lot later on.
The third and final struggling Phillie on the bottom half of the order who had an important night is Stott, who had a run batted in for himself with a triple. Bryson, who has been trying to get his at-bats better for the last few months, had a great night not only at the plate, but in the field, once again. Stott’s defense has been a huge factor for this Phillies defense, and he continues to be the best defender in the field for the Fightins.
Phillies Look to Sweep Tomorrow
Game three of this three-game series takes place tomorrow at 12:35. With Ranger Suarez on the hill, the Phillies’ offense should continue to mash the ball and give run support, which has been the theme of the series against Baltimore.
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.
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