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| 1982 Fleer #247 |
Needed a blog cleanse. The Phillies Room will enter into our annual winter hibernation, emerging periodically for big news or transaction updates.
Sparky hopes you keep smiling and may your mustache never droop.
Monday, October 5, 2026
Friday, October 2, 2026
NLWCS Game 3 - Phils End '26 Season with a Whimper
| Philadelphia Phillies | 2 |
| Atlanta Braves | 6 |
Thursday Night, October 1st
Truist Park - Atlanta, GA
Braves win series, 2-1
Braves win series, 2-1
One Sentence Summary: Aaron Nola allowed a first inning, three-run home run and the Phillies offense once again fell flat in this season-ending, and perhaps era-ending, 6-2 loss to the Braves.
What It Means: I was anxious about this game all day, and I quickly accepted the season was likely over as the home run ball from Michael Harris II was leaving the ballpark. Of course Nola gave up a home run in the first inning, he's done that all year. Of course the offense would go quiet again on a night they couldn't afford to go quiet. Of course interim manager Don Mattingly would make questionable decisions (Nola starting instead of Zack Wheeler) in what is likely his last game at the helm. So as the game proceeded, I cycled through the seven stages of grief and I'll likely cycle through them again over the long winter offseason.
What Happened/Featured Card: Nola couldn't find the plate in the first inning, recording a quick first out, but then walking the next two batters on 10 pitches. Harris had a 2-0 count when he hit his home run, and they could have pretty much called the game at that point. Nola was pulled after 1 2/3 innings, and Wheeler entered from the bullpen in the third. Wheeler game up two runs of his own in the fourth, walking Austin Riley and then giving up a two-run home run to Ozzie Albies. Jonathan Bowlan gave up a meaningless run in the seventh.
What It Means: I was anxious about this game all day, and I quickly accepted the season was likely over as the home run ball from Michael Harris II was leaving the ballpark. Of course Nola gave up a home run in the first inning, he's done that all year. Of course the offense would go quiet again on a night they couldn't afford to go quiet. Of course interim manager Don Mattingly would make questionable decisions (Nola starting instead of Zack Wheeler) in what is likely his last game at the helm. So as the game proceeded, I cycled through the seven stages of grief and I'll likely cycle through them again over the long winter offseason.
What Happened/Featured Card: Nola couldn't find the plate in the first inning, recording a quick first out, but then walking the next two batters on 10 pitches. Harris had a 2-0 count when he hit his home run, and they could have pretty much called the game at that point. Nola was pulled after 1 2/3 innings, and Wheeler entered from the bullpen in the third. Wheeler game up two runs of his own in the fourth, walking Austin Riley and then giving up a two-run home run to Ozzie Albies. Jonathan Bowlan gave up a meaningless run in the seventh.
The Phillies pushed across runs in the sixth and eighth innings on an Alec Bohm RBI ground out, and a Trea Turner sacrifice fly, scoring Derek Hill who had reached on a triple. Otto Kemp, demoted to the IronPigs back in May, was called upon to pinch-hit in the ninth and struck out against Chris Sale for the final out of the ballgame, the Phillies season, and perhaps this era of Phillies baseball.
Thursday, October 1, 2026
NLWCS Game 2 - Phils Somehow Pull Off Incredible Game 2 Win
| Philadelphia Phillies | 4 |
| Atlanta Braves | 3 |
10 Innings
Wednesday Afternoon, September 30th
Truist Park - Atlanta, GA
Series tied, 1-1
Series tied, 1-1
One Sentence Summary: In one of their all-time classic and most nerve-wracking games, the Phillies battled back late with three solo home runs from Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm, all while rookie Andrew Painter was pitching three scoreless innings in relief in this 4-3 win over the Braves.
What It Means: These two teams will meet one more time tonight, with the winner heading to Los Angeles to play the Dodgers in the NLDS beginning on Saturday. With the other three Wild Card contests already over, the Phillies-Braves game moves to prime time with an 8pm start time.
What Happened/Featured Card: The game was tied 1-1 at the seventh inning stretch. Cristopher Sanchez allowed a lead-off walk to start the seventh and then his defense let him down. Ha-Seong Kim was safe at first on a sacrifice bunt when Bohm tried to get the lead runner at second, and the Braves took a 2-1 lead when Harper misjudged a fly ball to right from Drake Baldwin. Harper ran back too late and the ball dropped for what was scored a double. Matt Olson would add a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1, Braves, chasing Sanchez from the game. Reliever Alex McFarlane needed four pitches to escape the jam.
What It Means: These two teams will meet one more time tonight, with the winner heading to Los Angeles to play the Dodgers in the NLDS beginning on Saturday. With the other three Wild Card contests already over, the Phillies-Braves game moves to prime time with an 8pm start time.
What Happened/Featured Card: The game was tied 1-1 at the seventh inning stretch. Cristopher Sanchez allowed a lead-off walk to start the seventh and then his defense let him down. Ha-Seong Kim was safe at first on a sacrifice bunt when Bohm tried to get the lead runner at second, and the Braves took a 2-1 lead when Harper misjudged a fly ball to right from Drake Baldwin. Harper ran back too late and the ball dropped for what was scored a double. Matt Olson would add a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1, Braves, chasing Sanchez from the game. Reliever Alex McFarlane needed four pitches to escape the jam.
In the top of the eighth, the magic started. Schwarber hit a long home run to center and Harper followed that with a solo home run of his own, tying the game. Luckily, we got to hear both home run calls from Scott Franzke as the TV was muted and the radio audio was turned on. Painter entered the game in the bottom of the eighth, and he'd have a "career-altering" outing as J.T. Realmuto coined it after the game. Painter threw seven straight balls to start the inning and then locked in following a mound visit from pitching coach Caleb Cotham. He'd gutsily work around baserunners in the eighth and ninth innings.
In the top of the 10th, following two quick outs, Bohm lofted an opposite field fly ball to right that kept carrying until it had left the park. The Phillies somehow had a 4-3 lead. Painter allowed a few more baserunners in the bottom of the 10th, but got pinch-hitter Dominic Smith looking on an ABS challenge to end the game.
Honestly, this was one of the most stressful Phillies game I've endured in recent memory, and that's saying quite a lot.
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