Game 101 - Phils Squeak by with Another Extra-Inning Win

2021 Topps Chrome
Rookie Autographs #RA-JR

Phillies 2, Pirates 1 (10 Innings)
Game 101 - Saturday Night, July 30th in Pittsburgh
Record - 54-47, 3rd Place, 9 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  J.T. Realmuto hit a clutch solo home run in the sixth and the Phillies won in extra innings on a fielder's choice and an error.

What It Means:  The Phillies will go for a four-game sweep of the Pirates this afternoon.

What Happened:  Ranger Suarez pitched well again, throwing six shutout innings, striking out eight and allowing only three hits.  Realmuto gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead with his home run in the sixth, but Cal Mitchell tied it up with a solo home run off Jose Alvarado in the seventh.  

In the 10th, with Didi Gregorius starting the inning at second, Matt Vierling grounded to the first baseman Michael Chavis who tried to get Gregorius at third but threw the ball away.  Gregorius would scamper home with the eventual winning run.  Corey Knebel threw the final two shutout innings for the Phillies, earning the win.

Featured Card:  Realmuto could get the card here, but I'll use this space to bid farewell to lefty reliever JoJo Romero, traded away before the game.

Transactions:  On Saturday afternoon, Kyle Gibson (rhp) was placed on the bereavement list and Mark Appel (rhp) was recalled from Lehigh Valley.  About an hour later, it was announced the Phillies had acquired Edmundo Sosa (ss) from the Cardinals for Romero (lhp).  Sosa is a defensive specialist who will see time at all three infield positions.  Romero had recently come back from Tommy John surgery, pitching in a pair of games earlier this month.  He departs the Phillies having appeared with them in parts of three seasons, pitching in 25 games with no record and a 7.89 ERA.  Romero struck out 19 in 21 2/3 innings pitched.

Sosa's most recent baseball cards can be found in the Topps Series 2 and Topps Heritage releases.

	Arrived During the 2022 Season	Date	Transaction
	Roman Quinn - of	4/9/22	Signed as a free agent formerly with the Miami Marlins.
	Oscar Mercado - of	6/27/22	Claimed off waivers from the Cleveland Guardians.
	Edmundo Sosa - ss	7/30/22	Acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals for JoJo Romero.
	Departed During the 2022 Season	Date	Transaction
	Ronald Torreyes - inf	4/26/22	Released.
	Roman Quinn - of	6/5/22	Granted free agency, singed with the Kansas City Royals, 6/9/22.
	James Norwood - rhp	6/18/22	Traded to the Boston Red Sox for cash considerations.
	Kyle Dohy - lhp	6/23/22	Released.
	Oscar Mercado - of	7/4/22	Claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Guardians.
	JoJo Romero - lhp	7/30/22	Traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for Edmundo Sosa.

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Game 100 - Hoskins' Big Day Leads to Win

2022 Topps 1987 Topps
Chrome Silver Pack #T87C2-10

Phillies 4, Pirates 2 (10 Innings)
Game 100 - Friday Night, July 29th in Pittsburgh
Record - 53-47, 3rd Place, 9 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Rhys Hoskins went 4 for 4, including a two-run 10th inning home run, to lead the Phillies to a 4-2 win over the Pirates.

What It Means:  The Phillies and Cardinals remain tied for the final National League Wild Card spot.

What Happened:  Bailey Falter got the start and pitched six strong innings, allowing two runs on five hits, including a sixth inning home run to Ke'Bryan Hayes.  With the Pirates holding a 2-0 lead, RBI singles from Kyle Schwarber and Rhys Hoskins in the seventh tied the game up.  The bullpen was again impressive, with Jose Alvarado working out of his self-created trouble in the eighth and Seranthony Dominguez pitching a perfect ninth.  Hoskins, leading off the 10th with the ghost runner at second, hit his 20th home run into the center field bleachers to give the Phillies a 4-2 lead.  Connor Brogdon pitched a quick bottom of the 10th, recording his first save of the season.

Featured Card:  Here's a newish shiny card for Hoskins, using the design from the 1987 Topps set.  I've not used the 1987 Topps design for any Chachi sets yet, and part of the reason is because Topps runs this design out in various insert sets seemingly every year.

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Game 99 - Offense Supports Wheeler's Gem

2022 Topps Now #445

Phillies 8, Pirates 7
Game 99 - Thursday Night, July 28th in Pittsburgh
Record - 52-47, 3rd Place, 9 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies held on to preserve Zack Wheeler's gem, winning 8-7 in this series opening game in Pittsburgh.

What It Means:  Reliever Jeurys Familia made the game a lot closer than it needed to be, entering the ninth inning with the Phillies ahead, 8-2.  He recorded just one out and was charged with five runs on four hits and a walk to raise his season ERA to an even 6.00.  Seranthony Dominguez put out the fire to record his sixth save of the season.

What Happened:  Wheeler picked up his ninth win, with his only blemish a two-run home run surrendered to Cal Mitchell in the seventh.  Wheeler struck out eight.  The Phillies offense collected 15 hits overall, putting up three-run innings in the first and sixth.  Darick Hall started the scoring with a two-run triple in the first.  Kyle Schwarber hit a three-run home run, his 32nd of the season, in the sixth.  The struggling Nick Castellanos collected three hits, and Alec Bohm extended his hitting streak to 13 games while raising his July average to a league leading (for the month) .436 (27 for 62).

Featured Card:  I'll give Hall the card here as the rookie has produced following his promotion when Bryce Harper landed on the injured list.  Hall has an .819 OPS since making his debut on June 29th, with six doubles, a triple and five home runs.  This is one of two Topps Now cards he's already received so far in his brief big league career.

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Phillies at Pirates: July 28th to July 31st

2022 Chachi 2000 Topps Missing Links #14

2022 Chachi Fan Favorites #12

Thursday and Friday 7:05, Saturday 7:15 and Sunday 1:35
PNC Park - Pittsburgh, PA

At the Ballpark:  It's a dollar dog night at the ballpark tonight and tomorrow night is Yinzerpalooza.  I don't think I can do Yinzerpalooza justice by summarizing it, so clipped below is the full explanation from the Pirates' website.  There's a fireworks show following the game on Saturday and all kids will receive a Pirates poster at Sunday's game.

Phillies 51-47
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 10 games behind the Mets

Phillies Probables
Zach Wheeler (8-5, 2.78)
Bailey Falter (0-3, 5.18)
Ranger Suarez (7-5, 3.84)
Aaron Nola (6-8, 3.32)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Alec Bohm - .293
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 64
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 31
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 61
Stolen Bases:  J.T. Realmuto - 13

Wins:  Zack Wheeler - 8
ERA:  Zack Wheeler - 2.78

Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 144
Saves:  Corey Knebel - 12

Pirates 40-58
4th Place in the N.L. Central, 14 1/2 games behind the Brewers

Pirates Probables
Zach Thompson (3-7, 4.64)
Jose Quintana (3-5, 3.70)
Mitch Keller (3-7, 4.55)
JT Brubaker (2-8, 2.96)

Pirates Leaders
Average:  Bryan Reynolds - .254
Runs:  Ke'Bryan Hayes and Bryan Reynolds - 40
Home Runs:  Bryan Reynolds - 15
RBIs:  Daniel Vogelbach - 34
Stolen Bases:  Ke'Bryan Hayes - 11

Wins:  Dillon Peters and Chris Stratton - 5
ERA:  JT Brubaker - 3.96

Strikeouts:  JT Brubaker - 101
Saves:  David Bednar - 17

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Game 98 - Bohm's Bat Stays Hot in Win

2022 Topps Gypsy Queen
Crystal Gazing #CG-8

Phillies 7, Braves 2
Game 98 - Wednesday Afternoon, July 27th in Philadelphia
Record - 51-47, 3rd Place, 10 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies rode a five-run fifth inning, and the hot bat of Alec Bohm, to this 7-2 victory over the Braves.

What It Means:  The win gave the Phillies a series victory over the division rival Braves, and kept them from catching the Mets in the standings.  A four-game series against the Pirates in Pittsburgh is next up, with the first game scheduled for Thursday night.

What Happened:  After sleepwalking through most of the game Tuesday night and the first four innings of this game, the Phillies plated five runs in the fifth on RBI singles from Bohm, Odubel Herrera and J.T. Realmuto, as well as a sacrifice fly from Kyle Schwarber.  Bohm added an RBI-double in the sixth.

Kyle Gibson rebounded from his prior shaky start to throw six strong innings, allowing two runs on four hits.  The pair of runs came courtesy of a two-run home run from Matt Olson in the sixth.

Featured Card:  Dating back to June 1st, over a 42 game span, Bohm is batting .317 with 23 runs scored, nine doubles, a triple, three home runs and 20 RBIs.  His defense remains just as shaky as ever, but at least he's been swinging a hot bat when the team needs it most.  This is a cool die-cut insert card from this year's Gypsy Queen set.

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Game 97 - Phils Can't Solve Strider in Loss

1977 Topps #638

Braves 6, Phillies 3
Game 97 - Tuesday Night, July 26th in Philadelphia
Record - 50-47, 3rd Place, 10 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  A late rally wasn't nearly enough in this 6-3 loss to the Braves.

What It Means:  At least the sunset was pretty?  The Phillies couldn't figure out rookie pitcher Spencer Strider who held their line-up to three hits and struck out six in his six innings of work.

What Happened:  The Braves scored early and often on a night Aaron Nola didn't have close to his best stuff.  Nola was chased after six innings having allowed five runs on seven hits, including home runs to Michael Harris II and Matt Olson.  The slumping Kyle Schwarber hit his 31st home run in the sixth and J.T. Realmuto added a two-run home run in the ninth, but they weren't able to overcome the early deficit.

Featured Card:  Dick Allen should have been inducted into the Hall of Fame this past weekend, and hopefully he gets the call the next time the Veteran's Committee casts their votes.  The only Phillies connection to Cooperstown this past induction weekend was lefty Jim Kaat, who joined the Hall with a plaque showing the interlocking "TC" of the Twins logo on his cap.  Kaat was dealt to the Phillies from the White Sox in December 1975 with Mike Buskey for Alan Bannister, Dick Ruthven and Roy Thomas.  A veteran workhorse, he threw 227 2/3 innings for the club in the pennant-winning 1976 season, going 12-14 with 3.48 ERA in 38 appearances.  He made one start for the Phillies in the 1976 NLCS, as the starting pitcher in the decisive Game 3 won by the Reds, completing their 3-game sweep.  Kaat went six innings, allowing two runs on the way to a no decision.

Overall, Kaat appeared in 102 games for the Phillies between 1976 and 1979, and was 27-30 with a 4.23 ERA, compiling 11 complete games including two shutouts.

Field Report:  I watched this game from the suite level at the ballpark as part of a work function.  The food and the company was great, the game not so much.

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Game 96 - Stott Sinks Braves with 3-Run Dinger

2022 Topps Now #305

Phillies 6, Braves 4
Game 96 - Monday Night, July 25th in Philadelphia
Record - 50-46, 3rd Place, 9 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Bryson Stott hit a three-run eighth inning home and drove in five runs overall in this cleansing 6-4 win over the Braves.

What It Means:  The team needed this after getting swept in the three-game series with the Cubs.

What Happened:  The Braves plated three unearned runs in the second on an error from third baseman Johan Camargo, that probably should have been credited to first baseman Rhys Hoskins.  The Phillies got to within 3-2 in the bottom of the inning when Stott doubled home a pair of runs.  J.T. Realmuto would tie the game up in the third with an RBI-single.  After the Braves had taken a 4-3 lead in the sixth, Stott came to the plate in the eighth with Alec Bohm and Yairo Munoz on board, and launched his seventh home run of the season to give the Phillies the lead and eventual win.  Seranthony Dominguez pitched a perfect ninth to record his fifth save.

Featured Card:  Per this Tweet from the Phillies Notes account, Stott's five RBIs tied the most RBIs in a game by a Phillies rookie shortstop since Don Money did it twice in 1969.  Stott has been the recipient of a few Topps Now cards recently, and this is the card issued following his walk-off home run back on June 5th.

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2022 Chachi #51 Bubby Rossman

#77
Charles Irvin Rossman
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Switch  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  190
Opening Day Age:  27
Born:  August 16, 1994, Beaver, PA
How Obtained:  Selected by Phillies in 35th round of June 2018 amateur player draft
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Phillies 2022

First Phillies Minor League Card:  2022 Choice Reading Fightin Phils #27
First Phillies Card:  N/A
Newest Card Added:  2022 Choice Reading Fightin Phils #27
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A

1 - Rossman baseball card in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 7/25/22.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2022 Chachi #51

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2022 Chachi #50 Will Toffey / 2022 Chachi #52 JoJo Romero

Game 95 - Late July Swoon Continues as Cubs Sweep Phils

2000 Bowman Draft #75

Cubs 4, Phillies 3
Game 95 - Sunday Afternoon, July 24th in Philadelphia
Record - 49-46, 3rd Place, 9 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies couldn't solve Drew Smyly and three Cubs relievers, and Bailey Falter gave up too many runs in this 4-3 loss to the Cubs.

What It Means:  The Phillies were swept by the Cubs, a team currently 19 games below .500.  A crucial three-game home series with the Braves began on Monday night.

This game was streamed exclusively on Peacock, and we watched briefly from the beach whenever the app decided to cooperate . . . which wasn't often.

What Happened:  Falter labored through five innings, allowing four runs on five hits, including three home runs.  Nick Nelson, Corey Knebel and Jeurys Familia did their jobs with three scoreless innings of relief, but the offense couldn't string together any meaningful hits.  Alec Bohm, paying penance for his shoddy defense at third the night before, had three hits.  Garrett Stubbs hit a solo home run in the eighth.

Featured Card:  Per lightning rod reporter Matt Gelb via Twitter, the Phillies were swept at home by the Cubs for the first time since July 2000.  The losing pitchers in that series were Chris Brock, Paul Byrd and Vicente Padilla.

Transaction:  Falter (lhp) was recalled from Lehigh Valley and JoJo Romero (lhp) was optioned down.

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Game 94 - Phils, Bohm Lose Ugly in Extras to Cubs

2019 Topps Update #US217

Cubs 6, Phillies 2 (10 Innings)
Game 94 - Saturday Night, July 23rd in Philadelphia
Record - 49-45, 3rd Place, 8 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies wasted a solid start from Zack Wheeler as this game got away quickly in extra innings and the Cubs won, 6-2.

What It Means:  Not a great way to start the second half.  After the game there was a heated exchange between the slumping Nick Castellanos and beat reporter Jim Salisbury.  Castellanos was asked by Salisbury if he heard the boos (from the fans) and the exchange got a little testy.  The right fielder was 0 for 4 in the game to drop his season average down to .245.  He's been a complete bust so far, and hopefully he can turn it around in time for this season to be relevant.

What Happened:  Wheeler went seven innings, allowing a run on three hits.  The Phillies tied the score in the seventh when J.T. Realmuto singled home Darick Hall, who had reached to start the inning on a double.  With the score tied, Jose Alvarado started the 10th inning and the game quickly unraveled for the Phillies.  Alec Bohm threw wide of home after fielding a grounder to allow the go-ahead run to score.  He then couldn't handle a ball from David Bote that resulted in a double and two more runs would score when he tried to corral a ground ball by swiping at it, resulting in his latest costly error.  By the time it was over, the Cubs had scored five runs, but only three of them were earned.

Featured Card:  Reliever and short-term Phillie David Robertson picked up the win for the Cubs, and Robertson has been outstanding this season.  He's got a 1.88 ERA in 34 games and he'll likely be dealt prior to the upcoming trade deadline.

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Braves at Phillies: July 25th to July 27th

2000 Topps Traded #T117

2022 Chachi 2000 Topps Missing Links #23

Monday and Tuesday 7:05, Wednesday 12:35
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

At the Ballpark:  Fans will receive an MLB Network tote bag tomorrow night, and kids will be able to run the bases following Wednesday afternoon's game.

Braves 58-39
2nd Place in the N.L. East, 1 1/2 games behind the Mets

Braves Probables
Max Fried (10-3, 2.64)
Spencer Strider (4-3, 3.03)
Charlie Morton (5-4, 4.20)

Braves Leaders
Average:  Dansby Swanson - .293
Runs:  Dansby Swanson - 63
Home Runs:  Austin Riley - 28
RBIs:  Austin Riley - 63
Stolen Bases:  Ronald Acuna - 20

Wins:  Kyle Wright - 12
ERA:  Max Fried - 2.64

Strikeouts:  Charlie Morton - 121
Saves:  Kenley Jansen - 22

Phillies 49-46
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 9 1/2 games behind the Mets

Phillies Probables
Ranger Suarez (7-5, 4.07)
Aaron Nola (6-7, 3.13)
Kyle Gibson (5-4, 4.69)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Alec Bohm - .282
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 63
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 30
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 59
Stolen Bases:  J.T. Realmuto - 12

Wins:  Zack Wheeler - 8
ERA:  Zack Wheeler - 2.78

Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 137
Saves:  Corey Knebel - 12

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2022 Chachi #50 Will Toffey

#33
William Tobin Toffey
Infield

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  205
Opening Day Age:  27
Born:  December 31, 1994, Barnstable, MA
How Obtained:  Acquired from the Giants with cash for Luke Williams, March 27, 2022

First Phillies Minor League Card:  2022 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #35
First Phillies Card:  N/A
Newest Card Added:  2022 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #35
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A

1 - Toffey baseball card in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 7/23/22.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2022 Chachi #50

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2022 Chachi #49 Nick Duron / 2022 Chachi #51 Bubby Rossman

Game 93 - Cubs Club Phils in Sweltering Heat

2014 Bowman Chrome Fire
Die-Cut Refractors #FDC-MF

Cubs 15, Phillies 2
Game 93 - Friday Night, July 22nd in Philadelphia
Record - 49-44, 3rd Place, 8 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  So much for getting off to a good start following the All-Star break, as the Phillies were demolished by the second division Cubs, 15-2.

What It Means:  The Phillies and Cardinals are still tied for the third National League Wild Card spot.

What Happened:  Kyle Gibson didn't have it, allowing six runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings.  Jeurys Familia allowed two inherited runners to score, along with a run of his own.  JoJo Romero and catcher Garrett Stubbs pitched the final two innings, allowing a combined eight runs on nine hits, including two home runs.

Kyle Schwarber hit the first pitch of the bottom of the first inning to right center field for his 30th home run of the season.  Darick Hall connected for his fifth home run in the ninth on a long home run into the bullpen.

Featured Card:  I did a search for the word "hot" and "fire" in my Phillies baseball card database, and this Maikel Franco card from 2014 jumped out at me. 

Field Report:  Jenna and I braved the heat to attend this game, enjoying a pre-game meal inside the air conditioned Pass and Stow.  We spent most of the game looking for a breeze from the various standing room only perches throughout the ballpark, finding the most success while in the Yuengling Party Pavilion behind Section 105.  Making the wise choice to depart the long, hot game following the sixth inning, we missed the late inning damage and were home to watch the end of the game on my phone as the game was streamed exclusively on Apple+.

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2022 Chachi #49 Nick Duron

#71
Nicholas Gregory Duron
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  190
Opening Day Age:  26
Born:  January 30, 1996, Salinas, CA
How Obtained:  Signed by the Phillies as a minor league free agent, January 9, 2022
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Phillies 2022

First Phillies Minor League Card:  2022 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #12
First Phillies Card:  N/A
Newest Card Added:  2022 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #12
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A

1 - Duron baseball card in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 7/22/22.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2022 Chachi #49

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2022 Chachi #48 Rafael Marchan / 2022 Chachi #50 Will Toffey

Cubs at Phillies: July 22nd to July 24th

2000 Topps #106

2000 Topps #327

Friday 7:05, Saturday 6:05, Sunday 12:05
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

At the Ballpark:  Tonight is the annual Italian Heritage Celebration at the ballpark, and tomorrow night there's a post-game concert featuring Jake Owen.  On Sunday, all kids will receive a Zack Wheeler replica Phillies jersey.

Cubs 35-57
4th Place in the N.L. Central, 14 1/2 games behind the Brewers

Cubs Probables
Justin Steele (3-6, 4.15)
Marcus Stroman (2-5, 4.69)
Drew Smyly (2-5, 4.22)

Marlins Leaders
Average:  Nico Hoerner - .307
Runs:  Willson Contreras and Patrick Wisdom - 48
Home Runs:  Patrick Wisdom - 17
RBIs:  Patrick Wisdom - 46
Stolen Bases:  Nico Hoerner - 9

Wins:  Keegan Thompson - 7
ERA:  N/A
Strikeouts:  Justin Steele - 79
Saves:  David Robertson - 13

Phillies 49-43
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 8 1/2 games behind the Mets

Phillies Probables
Kyle Gibson (5-3, 4.35)
Zack Wheeler (8-5, 2.89)
Aaron Nola (6-7, 3.13)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Alec Bohm - .276
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 62
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 29
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 58
Stolen Bases:  J.T. Realmuto - 12

Wins:  Zack Wheeler - 8
ERA:  Zack Wheeler - 2.89

Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 137
Saves:  Corey Knebel - 12

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Schwarber, Phillies Have Relatively Quiet All-Star Break

American League 3, National League 2
All-Star Game - Tuesday Night, July 19th in Los Angeles

One Sentence Summary:  The American League All-Stars won their ninth consecutive contest in this low-scoring, somewhat boring affair.

What It Means:  For the first time in probably several decades, I did not watch the entire game.  I'll admit I've become more and more disinterested in the game as the years pile up, and I'm irrationally upset by the leagues' decision to wear specially designed uniforms for the game and not each team's home or away uniforms.  The game is way more of a spectacle than it ever used to be, with players mic'd up seemingly every inning, and the focus seeming to be on everything but the actual game.  I watched Phillies All-Star Kyle Schwarber ground out to short in seventh inning and then I called it a night.  I yelled at a couple of neighborhood kids to get off my lawn for good measure.

What Happened:  The National League scored two first inning runs on a Mookie Betts RBI-single and a Paul Goldschmidt solo home run.  The American League received back-to-back home runs from Giancarlo Stanton and Byron Buxton, to give them a 3-2 lead in the fourth, and then both teams were shut down the rest of the game.  The Astros' Framber Valdez was the beneficiary of the win, with the Dodgers' Tony Gonsolin giving up both home runs and earning the loss.  Guardians' reliever Emmanuel Clase struck out the side in the ninth to record the save.

Featured Cards:  On Monday night, Schwarber participated in the annual Home Run Derby, losing in the first round to future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols.  In the game on Tuesday night, he entered the field in the top of the sixth, replacing Joc Pederson.  He saw one pitch and grounded out in the seventh against Orioles' pitcher Jorge Lopez, and then saw three more pitches in the ninth from Clase, striking out looking.  Bryce Harper, who won the fan vote as the National League's starting designated hitter, skipped the ceremonies and spent the weekend resting his fractured thumb at the Jersey Shore.

Memory Lane

From 1996 - Attending the All-Star Game at The Vet
From 2009 - All-Star Game memories
2010 All-Star Game - N.L. 3, A.L. 1 in Anaheim
2011 All-Star Game - N.L. 5, A.L. 1 in Phoenix
2012 All-Star Game - N.L. 8, A.L. 0 in Kansas City
2013 All-Star Game - A.L. 3, N.L. 0 in Flushing
2014 All-Star Game - A.L. 5, N.L. 3 in Minneapolis

2015 All-Star Game - A.L. 6, N.L. 3 in Cincinnati
2016 All-Star Game - A.L. 4, N.L. 2 in San Diego
2017 All-Star Game - A.L. 2, N.L. 1 in Miami
2018 All-Star Game - A.L. 8, N.L. 6 (10) in Washington
2019 All-Star Game - A.L. 4, N.L. 3 in Cleveland

2020 All-Star Game - Cancelled

2021 All-Star Game - A.L. 5, N.L. 2 in Denver

2022 All-Star Game - A.L. 3, N.L. 2 in Los Angeles

2022 Chachi #52 JoJo Romero / 2022 Chachi #56 Edmundo Sosa

2022 Chachi #48 Rafael Marchan

#13
Rafael Alejandro Marchan
Catcher

Bats:  Switch  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'9"  Weight:  200
Opening Day Age:  23
Born:  February 25, 1999, San Cristobal, Venezuela
How Obtained:  Signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent, July 2, 2015
Contract Status:  Arbitration eligible 2025, free agency eligible 2028
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Phillies 2020-2021

First Phillies Minor League Card:  2018 Choice Williamsport Crosscutters #17
First Phillies Card:  2021 Topps #622
Newest Card Added:  2021 Topps Big League #181
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (1):  2021

11 - Marchan baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 7/19/22.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2019 Chachi BlueClaws Signing Autographs #10
2020 Chachi #51
2021 Chachi #43
2022 Chachi #48

2021 Topps #622

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2022 Chachi #47 Darick Hall / 2022 Chachi #49 Nick Duron

2022 Chachi #47 Darick Hall

#25
Darick Hall
Designated Hitter

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  250
Opening Day Age:  26
Born:  July 25, 1995, Hereford, AZ
How Obtained:  Selected by the Phillies in the 14th round of the June 2016 amateur player draft
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Phillies 2022

First Phillies Minor League Card:  2016 Choice Williamsport Crosscutters #13
First Phillies Card:  2019 Bowman Chrome Talent Pipeline #TP-PHI
Newest Card Added:  2022 Topps Now #445
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A

15 - Hall baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 7/19/22.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2017 Chachi BlueClaws Signing Autographs #3
2022 Chachi #47

2022 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2022 Season Summary Index / 2022 Chachi Set Checklist

2022 Chachi #46 Oscar Mercado / 2022 Chachi #48 Rafael Marchan

2022 Chachi #46 Oscar Mercado

#35
Oscar Mauricio Mercado
Outfield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  197
Opening Day Age:  27
Born:  December 16, 1994, Cartagena, Colombia
How Obtained:  Selected off waivers from the Cleveland Guardians, June 27, 2022
Major League Teams:  Cleveland Indians 2019-2021; Cleveland Guardians 2022; Philadelphia Phillies 2022; Cleveland Guardians 2022

First Phillies Minor League Card:  N/A
First Phillies Card:  N/A
Newest Card Added:  N/A
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (3):  2019-2021

0 - Mercado baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 7/19/22.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2022 Chachi #46

2019 Topps Update #US28

2020 Topps #225

2021 Topps #292

2022 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2022 Season Summary Index / 2022 Chachi Set Checklist

2022 Chachi #45 Mark Appel / 2022 Chachi #47 Darick Hall

Phils Select Outfielder Crawford with 17th Overall Draft Pick

On Sunday night, the Phillies announced the selection of outfielder Justin Crawford, an outfielder from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, as their first pick and the 17th overall pick in the amateur player draft.  Crawford is the son of major league veteran Carl Crawford and a cousin of former Phillies' infielder J.P. Crawford.  He batted .503 with five home runs, 52 RBIs, 20 stolen bases and 60 runs scored during his senior year of high school.

His father Carl played with the Devil Rays/Rays (2002-2010), Red Sox (2011-2012) and Dodgers (2013-2016) during a 15-year career that saw him make four All-Star teams and go to the World Series with the Devil Rays in 2008.  He batted .263 in that series with home runs in Game 1 off Cole Hamels and in Game 4 off Joe Blanton.  In case you forgot, the Phillies won the series in five games.

Crawford joins the list of top draft picks below with his first of hopefully many Chachi cards.

Memory Lane
2014 Draft - Aaron Nola (rhp)
2015 Draft - Cornelius Randolph (ss)
2016 Draft - Mickey Moniak (of)
2017 Draft - Adam Haseley (of)
2018 Draft - Alec Bohm (3b)
2019 Draft - Bryson Stott (ss)
2020 Draft - Mick Abel (rhp)

2021 Draft - Andrew Painter (rhp)

2022 Draft - Justin Crawford (of)

Game 92 - Phils Complete Rare Miami Sweep

2022 Topps Now
Road to Opening Day #OD-280

Phillies 4, Marlins 0
Game 92 - Sunday Afternoon, July 17th in Miami
Record - 49-43, 3rd Place, 8 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Aaron Nola went into the All-Star break on a high note as the Phillies shut out the Marlins, 4-0.

What It Means:  The Phillies completed a three-game sweep of the Marlins in Miami for the first time since 2010.  They're a percentage point ahead of the Cardinals for the third Wild Card spot in the league.  Following the All-Star break, they'll open a weekend series at home against the Cubs on Friday night.

What Happened:  Nola scattered four hits over 8 1/3 innings, striking out 10.  Jose Alvarado recorded the final two outs of the game to record his first save of the season.  All four Phillies runs came in the fourth inning.  Alec Bohm and Matt Vierling both doubled runs home and then Yairo Munoz hit a two-run home run, his third of the season.

Featured Card:  The fact it's July and I'm running out of new Nola cards to feature in these game summary posts is a sign of a wonderful season.  This is his card from the recently mailed out Topps Now Road to Opening Day set.

2022 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2022 Season Summary Index / 2022 Chachi Set Checklist

2022 Chachi #45 Mark Appel

#22
Mark Stewart Appel
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  215
Opening Day Age:  30
Born:  July 15, 1991, Houston, TX
How Obtained:  Acquired from the Houston Astros with Vince Velasquez, Brett Oberholtzer, Tom Eshelman and Harold Arauz for Ken Giles and Jonathan Arauz, December 12, 2015
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Phillies 2022

First Phillies Minor League Card:  2016 Choice Reading Fightin Phils Top Prospects #2
First Phillies Card:  2016 Bowman Scouts' Top 100 #BTP-45
Newest Card Added:  2022 Topps Now #433
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A

12 - Appel baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 7/17/22.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2016 Chachi Almost #14
2017 Chachi Almost #13
2022 Chachi #45

2022 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2022 Season Summary Index / 2022 Chachi Set Checklist

2022 Chachi #44 Yairo Munoz / 2022 Chachi #46 Oscar Mercado

Game 91 - Phils Pound Fish

2022 Phillies Photo Cards #18

Phillies 10, Marlins 0
Game 91 - Saturday Afternoon, July 16th in Miami
Record - 48-43, 3rd Place, 9 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Ranger Suarez and four relievers combined to shut out the Marlins and the offense banged out 15 hits in this 10-0 victory.

What It Means:  The Phillies will look to close out the first half of the 2022 season with a series sweep this afternoon in Miami.  They're a half game behind the Cardinals for the third Wild Card spot in the National League.

What Happened:  Suarez went five strong innings, allowing four hits and striking out four.  JoJo Romero pitched a scoreless ninth in his return from Tommy John surgery.  It was his first big league action since May 5, 2021.

There were a lot of big hits from the offense in this game, led by home runs from J.T. Realmuto (8), Rhys Hoskins (19), Didi Gregorius (1) and Kyle Schwarber (29).  Bryson Stott had a pair of doubles.

Featured Card:  Gregorius led the way with four RBIs, including a two-run single in the sixth and a two-run home run, his first of the season, in the eighth.

Transactions:  Suarez (lhp) and Johan Camargo (inf) were reinstated from the injured list with Mark Appel (rhp) and Mickey Moniak (of) optioned to Lehigh Valley.

2022 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2022 Season Summary Index / 2022 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 90 - Hall, J.T. Deliver Doubles for Win

2022 Topps #180

Phillies 2, Marlins 1
Game 90 - Friday Night, July 15th in Miami
Record - 47-43, 3rd Place, 9 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Kyle Gibson pitched a gem with Darick Hall and J.T. Realmuto providing RBI doubles in the seventh inning in this 2-1 win over the Marlins.

What It Means:  This was a surprising win as the Phillies typically don't do well in Miami, especially against staff ace Sandy Alcantara.  Alcantara ran into trouble in the seventh, but otherwise held the Phillies offense down.  He struck out 12.

What Happened:  Gibson picked up his fifth win with six innings of work, allowing a run on four hits while striking out five.  Jose Alvarado, Brad Hand and Seranthony Dominguez pitched the final three scoreless frames, with Dominguez walking the bases loaded before notching his fourth save.

Featured Card:  Realmuto has been in the news recently for all the wrong reasons, and for saying all the wrong things, so it was nice to see him produce here with his bat.  He's had a rough season so far, which is part of the reason why this card from the Topps flagship release hasn't shown up in a game summary post yet.

Transactions:  There were a flurry of post-Toronto moves.  The four restricted list players were reinstated - Alec Bohm (3b), Gibson (rhp), Aaron Nola (rhp) and Realmuto (c).  Michael Kelly was outrighted to Lehigh Valley, opening up a spot on the 40-man roster.  Will Toffey (inf) was optioned than outrighted to Lehigh Valley, with Nick Duron (rhp), Rafael Marchan (c) returned to Lehigh Valley and Bubby Rossman (rhp) returned to Reading.

And then . . . Connor Brogdon (rhp) was reinstated from the Covid injured list and JoJo Romero (lhp) was activated from the 60-day IL.  Cristopher Sanchez (lhp) was optioned to Lehigh Valley and Hans Crouse (rhp) was recalled and placed on the 60-day IL with right biceps tendinitis.

2022 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2022 Season Summary Index / 2022 Chachi Set Checklist