Phillies Score Eight Runs in Ninth Inning, Come Back from Down 5-0 to Steal Victory Away from Nationals
Jun 22, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Brandon Marsh (16) celebrates with Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) after hitting a solo home run against the Washington Nationals during the seventh inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
If you turned the Phillies game off when they were down 5-0, you sure missed out on a whole lot. In one of the craziest games of the entire MLB season, the Phillies scored eight times in the ninth inning, winning 14-9.
After losing the first game of the series on Monday night to the Nationals, the Phillies were heading for the same fate. Down 5-0, they came all the way back, blew the lead late, and then completely stormed away in the ninth inning. With two outs, 10 consecutive men got on base as the Phils scored eight runs to make a statement. It was the first time they scored 7+ runs in the ninth inning since September 27, 2015, which was, coincidentally, in Washington. It was the first ninth inning in Phillies history with eight two-out runs scored.
It would also be another rough night for Jesus Luzardo, as his one-inning struggles continued; although he tied his career high in strikeouts, the Phillies’ offense wasn’t able to back him up whatsoever. If he didn’t have the implosion he had in the fourth inning, his start would’ve looked magnificent on a scorecard.
He became the first pitcher to record 13+ strikeouts, allow five-plus earned runs, and not surrender an extra-base hit since earned runs became an official stat. The last pitcher to have this stat line: Randy Johnson, back in 1999.
The Phillies would be getting hit with stinging hard moments right before the game even started, as Kyle Schwarber was scratched from the lineup due to back tightness. That moved Brandon Marsh up to second in the lineup as the Nationals sent out an opener for the first inning in PJ Poulin. It took him just seven pitches to get through the top of the Phillies order to begin the game. It would be a near-identical bottom of the frame for Luzardo, who got through the first three Nationals hitters in just nine pitches.
The Nationals would then move to Zack Littell as the bulk starter, who worked his way through an easy second inning. In the bottom half of the inning, back-to-back singles would have runners on the corners for Washington, as they got the first run of the game courtesy of Jacob Young grounding into a double play. Littell would then strike out the side in the following inning.
The game remained quiet for both sides until the bottom of the fourth. After an errant throw by Trea Turner and a base hit, the Nationals once again had runners on the corners. After Luzardo walked the next batter to load the bases, he got Jacob Young to fly out for the second out of the inning, with a chance to get out of the inning.
But that wouldn’t matter, as with the bases still loaded, Nasim Nunez lined a ball down the left-field line to score two runners. After he stole second base due to no one covering the base, Jose Tena dumped a little bloop out into left field, scoring two more to make it 5-0, Washington. Luzardo finally got out of the inning after striking out the next batter he faced.
The Phillies would respond to Littell in the following inning. After Bryson Stott led off with a single and stole second base, a strikeout and groundout followed in what looked like another bleak inning for the Phillies’ offense. With two outs, however, Sosa took the first pitch he saw and blasted it 406 feet to center field, putting the Phillies on the board and cutting into the deficit. A double would follow, but that would lead to nothing as the Nationals were able to get out of the inning with the next batter.
After a scoreless sixth, the top of the seventh is when the Phillies looked to bring on another rally, as singles from Stott and Gabriel Rincones Jr. had runners on the corners with one out, forcing the Nationals to go to their bullpen. Following an eight-pitch at-bat, Sosa got the Phillies a little closer, recording his third RBI of the night, beating out what would have been an inning-ending double play.
Luzardo took his work all the way until the seventh inning and was able to tie his career high in strikeouts with 13. After a balk, walk, and stolen base had runners on second and third, he was able to strike out James Wood for No. 13 to end his night. Jonathan Bowlan came on and struck out the only batter he faced, ending the inning with no runs scored.
It was a wild eighth inning for the Phillies. After a strikeout from Turner, Marsh followed with a double and advanced to third on an error. But with a strikeout of Bryce Harper to follow, it looked like Marsh would be stranded with two outs on third. A walk and a hit-by-pitch followed, which brought Clayton Beeter into the game, who said he doesn’t “think there’s a team we want to beat more than the Phillies” after Monday night’s game. With the bases loaded, J.T. Realmuto lined a ball into right field, and it looked like a diving catch would be made by Wood. Instead, he failed to hang on to the ball, and that allowed the bases to clear, giving the Phillies a 6-5 lead.
And that lead lasted for a few short minutes. Orion Kerkering came on for the bottom of the eighth and walked and hit a batter to start his outing. Jorbit Vivas was next, and he blasted a 410-foot, three-run home run to deep center field to give Washington the lead right back in a snap.
Brad Lord came on for the save and got the first two outs via the strikeout. Down to his last strike, Turner singled to give the Phillies life to bring up the soon-to-be all-star Marsh, who clobbered a sweeper right down the middle of the plate to tie the game up at eight.
Back-to-back singles followed, which brought up Stott, who hammered another sweeper deep down the right field line towards the foul pole, which stayed fair for a go-ahead three-run home run, giving the Phillies the lead.
A walk and a single would follow the home run and bring up Sosa, who barely missed his second home run of the night, lining a ball just off the wall in center field, bringing in two more runs to make it 13-8. The scoring for the Phillies would keep coming, as Turner brought in another run to extend the lead to six. Marsh struck out to end the inning, but not after 12 men came to the plate, eight runs on eight hits, and 10 consecutive base runners.
Chase Shugart came in for the ninth inning and gave up a solo home run, but that was it as he closed out a 14-9 Phillies victory.
The Phils will look to take another win in the third game of the series on Wednesday night, with Aaron Nola scheduled to start.
Andrew Glover
Andrew is in his first year covering sports for Philly Sports Reports. He is a podcaster and a digital content creator. Right now, he is in his second semester at Temple University pursuing a degree in Media Studies and Production. He has a certificate in Broadcast Journalism from the Connecticut School of Broadcasting in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
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