Game 155 - Collapse Seems Imminent

2022 Topps Phillies #PHI-10

Cubs 2, Phillies 0
Game 155 - Thursday Afternoon, September 29th in Chicago
Record - 83-72, 3rd Place, 14 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  A lifeless Phillies team was easily defeated by Cubs starting pitcher Javier Assad and two relievers in this 2-0 loss on a gloomy Thursday afternoon.

What It Means:  The Phillies have lost five in a row.  If not for the Marlins pulling out a late inning rally against the Brewers, courtesy of an Avisail Garcia grand slam, the Brewers and Phillies would be tied.  At the end of the night, the Brewers were just a half game behind the Phillies and the Phillies' magic number dropped to 6.

What Happened:  From the Phillies' perspective, absolutely nothing.  Ranger Suarez allowed a pair of runs in his six inning outing, striking out five.  The Phillies offense had six singles, leaving nine runners stranded.  This game put me, and many Phillies fans like me, in a foul mood.

Featured Card:  But as bad as this game was, the situation is much worse in Florida as Hurricane Ian made landfall and caused devastation throughout the state.  It's hard to get too upset over a baseball game when so many people had their lives upended over the course of a few days.

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Game 154 - Offense Goes 2 for 16 with RISP

2021 Topps Gypsy Queen #75

Cubs 4, Phillies 2
Game 154 - Wednesday Night, September 28th in Chicago
Record - 83-71, 3rd Place, 14 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  In one of the more frustrating losses of the year, Aaron Nola made one bad pitch and the Phillies offense went 2 for 16 with runners in scoring position in this 4-2 loss to the Cubs.

What It Means:  The Phillies can't seem to escape experiencing a September collapse.

What Happened:  Nola was cruising until allowing a three-run home run to Christopher Morel in the fifth.  The game was essentially over at that point.  Bryce Harper managed to drive in a pair of runs with a sacrifice fly and a ground out, but the rest of the offense failed miserably in the many opportunities available throughout this ballgame.  12 runners were left on base, as the Phillies line-up had 10 strikeouts and 11 hits, including 10 singles.

Featured Card:  With the Brewers within closing distance of the National League's third Wild Card, old friend JoJo Romero wasn't doing the Phillies any favors.  Romero, now pitching with the Cardinals, allowed three runs without retiring a batter in the decisive eighth inning against the Brewers.  The Brewers would defeat the Cardinals, 5-1, and creep closer to the Phillies in the standings.

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Game 153 - Phils Still Flat in Windy City

2017 Topps Heritage #608

Cubs 2, Phillies 1
Game 153 - Tuesday Night, September 27th in Chicago
Record - 83-70, 3rd Place, 13 games behind the Braves and Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies offense came out flat in the series opener in Chicago, collecting only five hits in this 2-1 loss to Marcus Stroman and the Cubs.

What It Means:  I'm late with these posts again due to work commitments, and as I'm getting caught up on Friday night we already know this series was a disaster.

What Happened:  Zack Wheeler kept his team in the game, allowing a third inning solo home run to Christopher Morel and striking out five over six innings.  Connor Brogdon took the loss after he allowed Yan Gomes to double home Ian Happ with the eventual winning run in the bottom of the seventh.  The punchless Phillies scored their only run in the sixth when Bryce Harper doubled home Bryson Stott.  Stroman went seven strong innings, allowing the one run on four hits.

Featured Card:  Former All-Star Chris Devenski made his Phillies debut, pitching a perfect eighth inning.  Devenski appeared in 10 games for the Diamondbacks in July and August, compiling a 7.59 ERA over 10 2/3 innings.  The Phillies are hoping he recaptures some of the ability that made him an All-Star with the Astros in 2017.

Transaction:  Nick Castellanos (of) was activated from the injured list and Donny Sands (c) was optioned to the IronPigs.  Johan Camargo (inf) was sent outright to the IronPigs.

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Phillies at Nationals: September 30th to October 2nd

2022 Chachi 2000 Topps Missing Links #22

2000 Topps #404

Friday 1:05 and 7:05, Saturday 1:05 and Sunday 1:35
Nationals Park - Washington, DC

At the Ballpark:  This series will determine if the Phillies reach the postseason for the first time since 2011 or if they'll spend another offseason trying to figure out what went wrong.  The Friday double header was necessitated by the owner's lockout during the first week of the regular season.  Fans attending the first game will receive a 2023 Nationals schedule magnet and the first 20,000 fans at the second game (so everybody) will receive a Nationals hoodie.  On Sunday, the first 25,000 fans will receive a Nationals beanie.

Phillies 83-72
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 14 1/2 games behind the Mets

Phillies Probables
Bailey Falter (5-4, 4.21)
Noah Syndergaard (4-2, 4.59)
Kyle Gibson (10-7, 4.84)
Zack Wheeler (11-7, 2.92)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Alec Bohm - .288
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 95
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 42
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 87
Stolen Bases:  J.T. Realmuto - 18

Wins:  Zack Wheeler - 11
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 3.36

Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 226
Saves:  Corey Knebel - 12

Nationals 54-101
5th Place in the N.L. East, 43 1/2 games behind the Mets

Nationals Probables
Erick Fedde (6-11, 5.34)
TBD
Anibal Sanchez (3-6, 4.06)
Cory Abbott (0-4, 5.11)

Nationals Leaders
Average:  Lane Thomas - .246
Runs:  Cesar Hernandez - 63
Home Runs:  Juan Soto - 21
RBIs:  Nelson Cruz - 64
Stolen Bases:  Victor Robles - 15

Wins:  Josiah Gray - 7
ERA:  N/A

Strikeouts:  Josiah Gray - 154
Saves:  Tanner Rainey - 12

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Phillies at Cubs: September 27th to September 29th

2022 Chachi 2000 Topps Missing Links #10

2000 Topps Traded #T119

Tuesday and Wednesday 7:40, Thursday 2:20
Wrigley Field - Chicago, IL

At the Ballpark:  There are no giveaways or promotions planned for this late September series in September.

Phillies 83-69
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 13 games behind the Mets

Phillies Probables
Zack Wheeler (11-7, 2.98)
Aaron Nola (10-12, 3.28)
Bailey Falter (5-4, 4.21)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Alec Bohm - .291
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 93
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 42
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 87
Stolen Bases:  J.T. Realmuto - 18

Wins:  Zack Wheeler - 11
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 3.28

Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 218
Saves:  Corey Knebel - 12

Cubs 67-86
3rd Place in the N.L. Central, 21 1/2 games behind the Cardinals

Cubs Probables
Marcus Stroman (4-7, 3.80)
Hayden Wesneski (2-1, 2.45)
Javier Assad (1-2, 4.28)

Cubs Leaders
Average:  Nico Hoerner - .290
Runs:  Ian Happ - 69
Home Runs:  Patrick Wisdom - 25
RBIs:  Ian Happ - 70
Stolen Bases:  Nico Hoerner - 18

Wins:  Keegan Thompson - 10
ERA:  N/A

Strikeouts:  Justin Steele - 126
Saves:  David Robertson - 14

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Game 152 - Fans Left Feeling Unappreciated

Braves 8, Phillies 7 (11 Innings)
Game 152 - Sunday Afternoon, September 25th in Philadelphia
Record - 83-69, 3rd Place, 13 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies fell in 11 innings as the Braves simply outlasted them in this home regular season finale.

What It Means:  The Reds defeated the Brewers, dropping the Phillies' Magic Number to 8.

What Happened:  Kyle Schwarber, who addressed the crowd before the game, hit two home runs to raise his season tally to 42.  Rhys Hoskins stayed hot with a pair of doubles and two runs scored.  Brandon Marsh had three hits, but a misplayed fly ball in the first inning led to the Braves' first run.  The Phillies held a 7-6 lead in the bottom of the eighth, and with two outs and two strikes on the batter, David Robertson uncorked a wild pitch allowing the tying run to score.  The Phillies had runners in scoring position in both the ninth and tenth innings, but couldn't get them home.

Andrew Bellatti gave up a pair of runs in the 11th, and while the Phillies scored one run in the bottom half of their inning, it wasn't enough to stop the Braves.

Featured Cards/Field Report:  As has become an annual (non-pandemic season) tradition, we enjoyed this game as a family from the Diamond Club.  Doug almost immediately snagged a signature from Aaron Nola upon our arrival, as Nola was graciously signing from the corner of the Phillies' dugout.  Ben, Jenna and I found Milt Thompson and Mickey Morandini by the Ashburn Alley entrance, but we were too slow to get pictures with the Phillies' broadcast team stationed at the first and third base gates.  Interim manager Rob Thomson signed for a number of fans before the game too, with Doug adding his signature to the sweet spot of a game-used baseball.  And right before the start of the National Anthem, Doug made his way down to the seats along the right field foul line to secure his biggest autograph of the day from J.T. Realmuto.

The game itself was mostly exciting, but ultimately disappointing.  We waited through the entire two-plus hour rain delay to witness the team's demise in the 11th inning, and we were somewhat disappointed when no players took the field following the game as they've done in years' past.  We'll either be back to Citizens Bank Park in three weeks for the NLDS or in six months for the 2023 home opener.  Hopefully it's the former.

Transaction:  Before the game, Brad Hand (lhp) was placed on the injured list with left elbow tendinitis and Chris Devenski (rhp) had his contract selected from the IronPigs.  Johan Camargo (inf) was designated for assignment to make room for Devenski on the 40-man roster.

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Game 151 - Phils Falter to Wright, Braves

1986 Donruss #507

Braves 6, Phillies 3
Game 151 - Saturday Afternoon, September 24th in Philadelphia
Record - 83-68, 3rd Place, 12 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Kyle Wright held the Phillies hitless through five innings and notched his 20th win of the season in this 6-3 defeat.

What It Means:  The magic number remained at nine following this loss and the Brewers win in Cincinnati.

What Happened:  The Phillies line-up had only three hits, including Rhys Hoskins' double in the sixth to break up the no-hitter and Bryce Harper's two-run home run a batter later.  Phillies starter Bailey Falter was hit hard, allowing six runs on ten hits in just 3 2/3 innings.  The bullpen established some calm after Falter's exit, but there were too few clutch hits for the remainder of the game.

Featured Card:  We were there (see below) and the only pre-game autograph Doug was able to add was from former Braves and Phillies player Milt Thompson, who was hanging out in the Diamond Club.

Field Report:  Jenna, Doug, Doug's teammate Tyler and me attended this game, enjoying the fall-like weather from the Diamond Club.  Other than Harper's home run, there wasn't much to cheer about, although the crowd was the loudest I've heard it so far this season in the bottom of the seventh.  With two outs, two runners on and the score at 6-3, Hoskins lined an A.J. Minter pitch just feet to the left of the right field foul pole.  A few feet over and the score would have been tied at six.  After that let-down, Hoskins struck out to end the inning two pitches later.

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Game 150 - Nola, Hoskins Lead the Way to Easy Win

2022 Topps
1987 Topps Baseball #87TB-24

Phillies 9, Braves 1
Game 150 - Friday Night, September 23rd in Philadelphia
Record - 83-67, 3rd Place, 12 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The two longest tenured Phillies, Aaron Nola and Rhys Hoskins, led the Phillies over the Braves in this 9-1 victory.

What It Means:  The magic number to clinch a Wild Card spot is down to 9.  With the Phillies now a half game up over the Padres, they'd head to St. Louis for a three game series if the season were to end today.

What Happened:  Nola threw six shutout innings, striking out eight and allowing only four hits.  The offense provided him plenty of cushion, scoring four runs in the second and another four runs in the fourth.  Hoskins was in the middle of both big innings, hitting a two-run double in the second to make it 4-0, and then clubbing a two-run home run in the fourth to make it 6-0.

Featured Card:  Having made his debut with the Phillies in August 2017, and endured a few really lean years with the club, I'm going to be thrilled for Hoskins when the postseason draught ends.  This is his 1987 Topps inspired insert card from Series Two of the Topps flagship release.

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Game 148 - Vierling's 5th Hit Walks It Off!

2022 Topps Heritage #292

Phillies 4, Blue Jays 3 (10 Innings)
Game 148 - Wednesday Night, September 21st in Philadelphia
Record - 81-67, 3rd Place, 12 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies won in dramatic fashion, as Matt Vierling capped a 5 for 5 night with a walk-off RBI single to win the ballgame.

What It Means:  This was a huge win for the team, snapping a dreadful five-game losing streak and hopefully getting them back on course for the postseason.

What Happened:  Zack Wheeler returned from the injured list, throwing four scoreless innings and allowing just a pair of hits.  Noah Syndergaard, relegated to the bullpen, piggybacked off Wheeler's start with two scoreless innings of his own.  Once again, it was Seranthony Dominguez who struggled out of the bullpen, as he allowed a three-run home run to Vladimir Guerrero in the top of the eighth.  The Phillies came back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning, including a solo home run from J.T. Realmuto and RBI singles from Dalton Guthrie and Kyle Schwarber.  

In the 10th inning, with pinch-runner Yairo Munoz as the ghost runner, Bryson Stott sacrificed Munoz to third.  Vierling then drove him home with a chopper to center field, starting the on-field celebration.

Featured Card:  I saw a couple of great Tweets from @BoopStats putting Vierling's big night in perspective.  First, he's only the fourth National League player with five hits out of the ninth spot in the line-up.  Second, he's the third Phillies player since 1901 with a five-hit game that included a walk-off RBI.  Vierling joins Del Ennis (1950) and Milt Thompson (1987) in that very exclusive club.

Transaction:  Wheeler (rhp) was activated from the injured list and Sam Coonrod (rhp) was optioned to Lehigh Valley.

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Game 147 - Jays Jolt Phils in Convincing Loss

1993 Topps #235

Blue Jays 18, Phillies 11
Game 147 - Tuesday Night, September 20th in Philadelphia
Record - 80-67, 3rd Place, 13 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Blue Jays demolished Kyle Gibson and a few Phillies relievers in this brutal 18-11 loss.

What It Means:  At least the Phillies scored 11 runs?  Having witnessed none of this debacle, I can only imagine watching the actual game was painful.

What Happened:  On the positive side, Dalton Guthrie hit his first big league home run and Kyle Schwarber hit his 40th home run of the season, making him the first Phillies slugger in the 40 home run club since Ryan Howard connected for 45 home runs in 2009.  J.T. Realmuto went 5-for-5, including his 20th home run of the season.  Back-up catcher Garrett Stubbs made his fourth relief appearance of the season and was the only Phillies pitcher on the night not to give up any runs.

On the negative side, actual Phillies full-time pitchers gave up 18 runs on 21 hits.  Gibson was scorched for seven runs on 12 hits in  his five innings of work, giving him a September ERA of 9.68 in his four starts so far this month.

Featured Card:  Of course the last time the Phillies and Blue Jays scored 29 combined runs in a game was on October 20, 1993 in Game 4 of the 1993 World Series.  That game was actually way more painful than this game as Mitch Williams blew his first of two World Series saves, with the Blue Jayes winning, 15-14.

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Game 146 - Phils Fall Again in Atlanta

2001 Topps 
Who Would Have Thought #WWHT16

Braves 5, Phillies 2
Game 146 - Sunday Afternoon, September 18th in Atlanta
Record - 80-66, 3rd Place, 12 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Spencer Strider struck out 10 Phillies batters as the Braves completed the three-game sweep and sent Phillies fans across the nation into a postseason panic.

What It Means:  Spoiler alert, the losing streak would reach five games before finally being snapped on Wednesday, but at this point things were looking grim.

What Happened:  The Phillies were 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position, with their only two runs coming on solo home runs from Alec Bohm and J.T. Realmuto.  Bailey Falter pitched well again, giving up a run in 4 2/3 innings, before turning the game over to the bullpen.  The Phillies tied the score at 1-1 in the sixth on Bohm's home run, but the Braves would score in each of their final three at-bats off relievers Connor Brogdon, Sam Coonrod and David Robertson.

Featured Card:  At the 146th game of the season, in the midst of a five-game losing streak, finding a meaningful card to attach to these game summary posts if a tough task.  I featured a Braves/Phillies combo card from my collection in the Game 145 post, and here's another card featuring both franchises.  Once the Phillies get back on the winning track, these card choice decisions will get much easier.

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Game 145 - Acuña Defeats Phils

2011 Topps Diamond Duos #DD-HH

Braves 4, Phillies 3
Game 145 - Saturday Night, September 17th in Atlanta
Record - 80-65, 3rd Place, 11 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Ronald Acuna, Jr. pretty much single-handedly defeated the Phillies in this 4-3 loss, extending the Phillies' losing streak to three.

What It Means:  At the time of this loss, we were attending a wedding, and all hope for the postseason seemed to be slowly dwindling away.

What Happened:  Aaron Nola gave up all four Braves runs in his seven-inning outing, striking out eight and seemingly keeping the Phillies in the ballgame.  The Phillies scored late, but couldn't come all the way back from the 4-0 deficit.  Matt Vierling hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth, then doubled home Bryson Stott in the seventh.  Stott singled home Bryce Harper in the eighth for the team's third and final run.  Acuna drove in all four Braves runs and made several great defensive plays in right field.

Featured Card:  The well is dry, and motivation is low.  Here's a Phillies/Braves combo card from the year the Phillies last saw the postseason, 2011.

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Game 144 - 'Pen Implodes in 8th as Phils Lose

2022 IDrawBaseball Cards
x Relief Room #1

Braves 7, Phillies 2
Game 144 - Friday Night, September 16th in Atlanta
Record - 80-64, 3rd Place, 10 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Holding a 2-1 lead heading to the bottom of the eighth inning, Seranthony Dominguez and Nick Nelson allowed six unanswered Braves run in this crushing defeat.

What It Means:  Sometimes my timing is impeccable as I turned this game off after the Phillies had batted in the top of the eighth inning.  Had I stayed up a little longer, I would have witnessed the implosion first hand and lost crucial hours of sleep.

What Happened:  The Phillies earned a slim lead on solo home runs from Kyle Schwarber in the fourth and Jean Segura in the fifth.  Ranger Suarez pitched six strong innings, allowing a solo home run to William Contreras and striking out four.  Dominguez and Nelson combined to allow six runs on five hits, including a two-run home run to Ronald Acuna, Jr., a pair of walks and a wild pitch.

Featured Card:  This game and my broken scanner have conspired to make me sad, angry and a little confused, much like Tom Hilgendorf on his 1976 Topps card.  This version of that card is the wonderful creation of IDrawBaseballCards in collaboration with the The Relief Room, and it's doing what it can to cheer me up.

Transaction:  Yairo Munoz (inf) was recalled from the IronPigs and Edmundo Sosa (inf) was placed on the injured list with a right hamstring strain.

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Game 149 - Suarez, Eflin, Alvarado Shut Out Braves

2022 Phillies Photo Cards #46

Phillies 1, Braves 0
Game 149 - Thursday Night, September 22nd in Philadelphia
Record - 82-67, 3rd Place, 12 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Ranger Suarez, Zach Eflin and Jose Alvarado combined to shut out the Braves in this crucial 1-0 victory.

What It Means:  For me, I'm behind with my game summary posts for three reasons.  My work schedule has picked up, I took my last work trip of the year to Dallas this past week and my scanner has decided to stop working which makes it less convenient to scan baseball cards for these posts.  But I plan to slowly fill in the gaps over the weekend.

For the Phillies, they have a 2 1/2 game lead over the Brewers for the third Wild Card spot and they're a half game behind the Padres for the second Wild Card.  The team's magic number to reach the postseason is 10, and this win clinched their second straight winning season.

What Happened:  Suarez went six innings, allowing five hits and then yielded to Eflin who went 1 2/3 innings, striking out three.  It was Eflin's third appearance out of the bullpen since his return from the injured list.  Jose Alvarado recorded the final four outs to clinch his second save of the season.  The Phillies' only run came on a second inning sacrifice fly from Matt Vierling, made possibly when J.T. Realmuto went first to third on a single by Jean Segura.

Featured Card:  Alvarado has rarely given me reason to feature him in a game summary post, but since his demotion to Lehigh Valley earlier in the season he's become one of the most important members of the Phillies bullpen.  Since the beginning of August, he's made 19 appearances, walking four and striking out 27 over 17 2/3 innings, with an ERA of 0.51.  His two Phillies baseball cards to date can be found in the 2022 team-issued photo card set and the 2022 Topps Now Road to Opening Day set.

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Braves at Phillies: September 22nd to September 25th

2022 Chachi Fan Favorites #21

2022 Chachi 2000 Topps Missing Links #20

Thursday and Friday 7:05, Saturday 4:05 and Sunday 1:05
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

At the Ballpark:  Sunday is Fan Appreciation Day, the final regular season home game of 2022, and all fans will receive a 2023 Phillies schedule magnet.

Braves 93-56
2nd Place in the N.L. East, 1 game behind the Mets

Braves Probables
Max Fried (13-6, 2.52)
Jake Odorizzi (1-2, 4.54)
Kyle Wright (19-5, 3.18)
Charlie Morton (9-6, 4.09)

Braves Leaders
Average:  Dansby Swanson - .280
Runs:  Dansby Swanson - 93
Home Runs:  Austin Riley - 37
RBIs:  Matt Olson - 92
Stolen Bases:  Ronald Acuna - 28

Wins:  Kyle Wright - 19
ERA:  Max Fried - 2.52

Strikeouts:  Spencer Strider - 202
Saves:  Kenley Jansen - 36

Phillies 81-67
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 12 1/2 games behind the Mets

Phillies Probables
Ranger Suarez (9-5, 3.53)
Aaron Nola (9-12, 3.38)
Bailey Falter (5-3, 3.68)
Kyle Gibson (10-7, 4.71)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Alec Bohm - .289
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 89
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 40
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 85
Stolen Bases:  J.T. Realmuto - 18

Wins:  Zack Wheeler - 11
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 3.38

Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 210
Saves:  Corey Knebel - 12

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Blue Jays at Phillies: September 20th to September 21st

2000 Topps #186

2022 Chachi 2000 Topps Missing Links #24

Tuesday and Wednesday 6:45
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

At the Ballpark:  These two games are #CollegeSeries theme nights, sponsored by Temple University's Fox School of Business

Blue Jays 83-64
2nd Place in the A.L. East, 5 1/2 games behind the Yankees

Blue Jays Probables
Ross Stripling (8-4, 2.94)
Kevin Gausman (12-10, 3.45)

Blue Jays Leaders
Average:  Alejandro Kirk - .295
Runs:  Bo Bichette - 84
Home Runs:  Vladimir Guerrero - 29
RBIs:  Bo Bichette - 89
Stolen Bases:  George Springer - 13

Wins:  Alex Manoah - 14
ERA:  Alex Manoah - 2.40
Strikeouts:  Kevin Gausman - 186
Saves:  Jordan Romano - 34

Phillies 80-66
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 12 1/2 games behind the Mets 

Phillies Probables
Kyle Gibson (10-6, 4.45)
Zack Wheeler (11-7, 3.07)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Alec Bohm - .289
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 87
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 39
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 81
Stolen Bases:  J.T. Realmuto - 17

Wins:  Zack Wheeler - 11
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 3.38

Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 210
Saves:  Corey Knebel - 12

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2022 Chachi #66 Dalton Guthrie

#18
Dalton Guthrie
Outfield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  195
Opening Day Age:  26
Born:  December 23, 1995, Sarasota, FL
How Obtained:  Selected by the Phillies in the 6th round of the June 2017 amateur player draft
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Phillies 2022

First Phillies Minor League Card:  2018 Choice Lakewood BlueClaws #11
First Phillies Card:  N/A
Newest Card Added:  2022 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #16
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A

6 - Guthrie baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 9/15/22.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2022 Chachi #66

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2022 Chachi #65 Donny Sands / 2022 Chachi #67 Chris Devenski

2022 Chachi #64 Vinny Nittoli

#48
Michael Vincent Nittoli
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  210
Opening Day Age:  31
Born:  November 11, 1990, Tempe, AZ
How Obtained:  Acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays for Karl Ellison, August 31, 2022
Contract Status:  Arbitration eligible in 2025, free agency eligible in 2028
Major League Teams:  Seattle Mariners 2021; Philadelphia Phillies 2022

First Phillies Minor League Card:  N/A
First Phillies Card:  N/A
Newest Card Added:  N/A
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A

0 - Nittoli baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 9/15/22.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2020 Chachi #64

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2022 Chachi #63 Michael Plassmeyer / 2022 Chachi #65 Donny Sands

Phillies at Braves: September 16th to September 18th

2000 Topps Traded #T134

2022 Chachi Fan Favorites #20

Friday and Saturday 7:20, Sunday 1:35
Truist Park - Atlanta, GA

At the Ballpark:  There's a postgame fireworks show tonight, and the first 5,000 fans tomorrow will receive a World Series Champs! poster commemorating the 2021 season.  On Sunday, the first 3,000 kids will receive a Blooper World Series bobblehead.

Phillies 80-63
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 9 games behind the Mets

Phillies Probables
Ranger Suarez (9-5, 3.62)
Aaron Nola (9-11, 3.31)
Bailey Falter (5-3, 3.80)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Alec Bohm - .289
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 86
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 38
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 80
Stolen Bases:  J.T. Realmuto - 17

Wins:  Zack Wheeler - 11
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 3.31

Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 202
Saves:  Corey Knebel - 12

Braves 88-55
2nd Place in the N.L. East, 1 game behind the Mets

Braves Probables
Max Fried (13-6, 2.50)
Jake Odorizzi (1-2, 4.97)
Spencer Strider (10-5, 2.72)

Braves Leaders
Average:  Dansby Swanson - .282
Runs:  Dansby Swanson - 92
Home Runs:  Austin Riley - 36
RBIs:  Matt Olson - 91
Stolen Bases:  Ronald Acuna - 28

Wins:  Kyle Wright - 18
ERA:  Max Fried - 2.50

Strikeouts:  Spencer Strider - 192
Saves:  Kenley Jansen - 33

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Game 143 - Phils Fall Short Against Fish

2022 Donruss #41

Marlins 5, Phillies 3
Game 143 - Thursday Night, September 15th in Miami
Record - 80-63, 3rd Place, 9 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies came up short against Pablo Lopez and the Marlins, dropping the series finale by a score of 5-3.

What It Means:  The loss snapped a modest five-game win streak.  Next up, the Phillies travel to Atlanta for a crucial weekend series against the Braves.  The Mets hold a slim one-game lead over the Braves for the top spot in the division.

What Happened:  Noah Syndergaard gave up a crushing three-run home run to Bryan De La Cruz in the fourth inning, giving the Marlins a 4-0 lead.  The Phillies chipped away with a solo home run from Kyle Schwarber (his 38th) and a few more RBIs from the suddenly hot Brandon Marsh.  Marsh fell a home run short of the cycle, enjoying his first career four-hit game.

Featured Card:  Since joining the Phillies, Marsh is batting .300 in 25 games, raising his combined season average from .226 (with the Angels) to a respectable .242.  He's appeared on quite a few 2022 baseball cards, including this Donruss card which could be mistaken for a Phillies card given the lack of logos.  I'd expect to see Marsh's first Phillies cards in the Topps Update or Heritage High Numbers sets.

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Game 142 - J.T. Homers Twice in Big Win

2022 Topps Heritage #124

Phillies 6, Marlins 1
Game 142 - Wednesday Night, September 14th in Miami
Record - 80-62, 3rd Place, 8 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Kyle Gibson returned to form and the Phillies blasted three home runs in this 6-1 win in Miami.

What It Means:  With 20 games remaining, the Phillies have a 2 1/2 game lead over the Padres for the second Wild Card spot and a 4 1/2 game lead over the Brewers.

What Happened:  Gibson picked up his 10th win, allowing a run on six hits in six innings of work while striking out seven.  Bryce Harper homered in the sixth and J.T. Realmuto had a two-home run night, with one in the sixth right after Harper, and another in the seventh.

Featured Card:  Realmuto went 2 for 4, hitting his 17th and 18th home runs while raising his average to .275.  He'll likely get some MVP votes and the hope is he's heating up just in time for the postseason.

Transaction:  The Phillies claimed Tayler Scott (rhp) off waivers from the Padres, then recalled and placed Kent Emanuel (lhp) on the 60-day injured list.  Scott appeared in eight games this season with the Padres, allowing nine earned runs in 12 innings pitched.  Scott's first mainstream baseball cards can be found in the 2013 Bowman set.

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Game 141 - Maton's Clutch Bomb Sinks Fish

2022 Topps Now #763

Phillies 2, Marlins 1
Game 141 - Tuesday Night, September 13th in Miami
Record - 79-62, 3rd Place, 9 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Nick Maton hit a huge two-run home run in the seventh inning off Marlins' ace Sandy Alcantara to give the Phillies a 2-1 victory.

What It Means:  This was the fourth win in a row and the sixth win out of the last seven games.

What Happened:  Bailey Falter turned in a strong start, going six innings and allowing a run on four hits.  The one run allowed was a fifth inning solo home run by Bryan De La Cruz.  The Phillies didn't get to Alcantara until Maton's blast, with Jean Segura singling before him.  Segura was 3 for 4 on the night.  Jose Alvarado, Seranthony Dominguez and David Robertson shut down the Marlins over the final three innings of the game.

Featured Card:  Before the game, this Topps Now card arrived for Maton, highlighting his walk-off home run against the Reds back on August 23rd.  He's the only player so far this season with two home runs off Alcantara.

Transaction:  Zach Eflin (rhp) was activated from the 60-day injured list and Cristopher Sanchez (lhp) was optioned to Lehigh Valley.  Eflin took Mark Appel's (rhp) spot on the 40-man roster as Appel was placed on the 60-day injured list with right elbow inflammation.

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Game 140 - Hoskins, Bohm Blasts Sweep Away Rain

2022 Topps Gypsy Queen
GQ Gems Minis #GGM-13

Phillies 7, Nationals 5
Game 140 - Sunday Afternoon, September 11th in Philadelphia
Record - 78-62, 3rd Place, 10 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies outlasted the longest in-game rain delay in team history to defeat the Nationals in a marathon Sunday afternoon game, 7-5.

What It Means:  The win completed the three-game sweep of the Nationals and gave the Phillies a 1 1/2 game lead over the Padres for the second National League Wild Card spot.

What Happened:  The Phillies held a 1-0 lead after two innings before a 3 hour and 36 minute rain delay caused the game to be resumed late in the afternoon.  The Nationals took a 4-1 lead in the fourth, and a 5-4 lead in the sixth, with Rhys Hoskins tying up the games both times with a three-run home run in the fifth and a sacrifice fly in the sixth.  Alec Bohm broke the 5-5 tie with a clutch, two-run home run in the seventh.  David Robertson quickly struck out the side in the ninth to save his fifth game with the club.

Featured Card:  Bohm had the game-winning home run, but Hoskins kept the Phillies in the game by tying the score twice.  The slugger went 2 for 4 with four RBIs, hitting his 28th home run of the season.  Here's an oddly shaped and shiny insert card for Hoskins from the 2022 Topps Gypsy Queen set.

Transaction:  Seranthony Dominguez (rhp) was activated from the injured list and Vinny Nittoli (rhp) was optioned to the IronPigs.

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Phillies at Marlins: September 13th to September 15th

2022 Chachi 2000 Topps Missing Links #3

2022 Chachi Fan Favorites #19

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 6:40
loanDepot park - Miami, FL

At the Ballpark:  There's not a lot going on these days at loanDepot park, other than some special theme nights.  It's Taco Tuesday tonight.

Phillies 78-62
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 10 games behind the Mets

Phillies Probables
Bailey Falter (4-3, 4.02)
Kyle Gibson (9-6, 4.57)
Noah Syndergaard (4-1, 4.61)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Alec Bohm - .293
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 84
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 37
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 79
Stolen Bases:  J.T. Realmuto - 17

Wins:  Zack Wheeler - 11
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 3.31

Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 202
Saves:  Corey Knebel - 12

Marlins 58-83
4th Place in the N.L. East, 30 1/2 games behind the Mets

Marlins Probables
Sanday Alcantara (12-7, 2.43)
Edward Cabrera (5-2, 2.63)
Pablo Lopez (8-10, 4.04)

Marlins Leaders
Average:  Jesus Aguilar - .236
Runs:  Jon Berti - 40
Home Runs:  Jesus Aguilar - 15
RBIs:  Jesus Aguilar - 49
Stolen Bases:  Jon Berti - 34

Wins:  Sandy Alcantara - 12
ERA:  Sandy Alcantara - 2.43

Strikeouts:  Sandy Alcantara - 177
Saves:  Tanner Scott - 19

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Game 139 - Harper Leads Long Ball Barrage

2022 Topps Opening Day
Bomb Squad #BS-9

Phillies 8, Nationals 5
Game 139 - Saturday Night, September 10th in Philadelphia
Record - 77-62, 3rd Place, 10 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Bryce Harper hit the first of four Phillies home runs in this 8-5 win over the Nationals.

What It Means:  The Phillies still hold the second Wild Card spot, a half game ahead of the Padres and 3 1/2 games ahead of the Brewers.  They'll go for a series sweep if the rain can stay away long enough today.

What Happened:  Ranger Suarez picked up the win, throwing 6 2/3 innings and allowing four runs on seven hits.  Harper connected for his first home run since June 9th, a span of 27 games dating back to before his lengthy injured list stint.  Nick Maton, Brandon Marsh and Kyle Schwarber all followed Harper with home runs of their own.  Marsh was 3 for 4 with a pair of RBIs.

Featured Card:  I'm happy to feature a Harper can whenever I can.

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Game 138 - Guthrie's First Hits Lead to Win Over Nats

2022 Choice Lehigh Valley
IronPigs #16

Phillies 5, Nationals 3
Game 138 - Friday Night, September 9th in Philadelphia
Record - 76-62, 3rd Place, 11 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Dalton Guthrie collected his first big league hits and drove in a pair of runs in this 5-3 series opening win against the Nationals.

What It Means:  The Phillies have recaptured their winning ways, winning now three of their last four games.

What Happened:  Noah Syndergaard made his seventh start for the Phillies, eventually picking up the win with six solid innings of work.  He allowed three runs on eight hits.  Guthrie's first big league hit drove home Edmundo Sosa with the first run of the game.  The Phillies would go up 3-0 in the fourth following a Rhys Hoskins home run and a single to center from J.T. Realmuto.  Realmuto would homer in the sixth, with Guthrie driving home an insurance run with another RBI single in the seventh.

Featured Card:  Guthrie went 2 for 3 in this game with a pair of RBIs.  I have six of his cards in my collection so far, and the newest is this card from the 2022 IronPigs team set.

Field Report:  I had planned on attending this game with my family, but my airline had other plans and I was stuck in Orlando following a work trip for most of the day Friday.  Fortunately, my family carried on and enjoyed the game, sending me pictures and texting me highlights of their visit.  Doug had a great pregame autograph hunt, securing signatures on a ball from Nationals' players Nelson Cruz, Josiah Gray and Carl Edwards Jr.  Rhys Hoskins signed his new scorecard, somewhat atoning for his costly error the night before.

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