Game 29 - Phils Prevail in Ugly Walk-Off Win

Washington Nationals	6
Philadelphia Phillies	7

2025 Topps
Philadelphia Phillies #PHI-13

Tuesday Night, April 29th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
16-13, 2nd Place, 4 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Sloppy defense and Orion Kerkering allowed the Nationals to score four times to tie the score in the top of the ninth, only for the Phillies to win the game on a walk-off wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth.

What It Means:  According to boopstats on Bluesky, this was the ninth time since 1916 the Phillies have won a game on a walk-off wild pitch.  In recent history, Bryson Stott joins Mike Schmidt (1983), Rod Booker (1990) and Juan Bell (1993) in the Phillies' record books.

What Happened:  It should have never needed to happen.  Zack Wheeler was in control for 6 2/3 innings, departing the game with a 3-1 lead.  He had allowed a solo home run to Luis Garcia Jr. to lead off the sixth.  Kyle Schwarber hit a two-run home run in the first to give the Phillies the early lead.  Johan Rojas added another run in the third with a solo home run.

Speaking of Rojas, a few of his defensive miscues were responsible for this game going down to the wire.  After Jose Alvarado loaded the bases and then struck out the side in a tense eighth inning, Orion Kerkering took to the mound in the ninth with the Phillies holding a 4-2 lead.  Kerkering wasn't sharp, and  Rojas' misplay in center, an error from Trea Turner and a three-run home run by Nathaniel Lowe gave the Nationals a 6-5 lead.  In the bottom of the ninth, Alec Bohm singled, Bryson Stott walked, Bohm tagged up and went to third on a sac fly from Max Kepler and scored on a Rojas sac fly to tie the game.  Stott had tagged on the same play, and while he was taking his lead off third, reliever Kyle Finnegan uncorked a wild pitch, sending Stott home with the winning run.

Featured Card:  Tough decision here, but I'll go with Turner even though his defense necessitated the late inning heroics, but he also went 4 for 4 out of the lead-off spot with an RBI and two runs scored.

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Washington Nationals at Philadelphia Phillies - Phils Home for 6

2005 Topps #449

2005 Topps #482

Tuesday, April 29th - 6:45
Wednesday, April 30th - 6:45
Thursday, May 1st - 6:45

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
It's another Hatfield Phillies Franks BOGO night on Tuesday and the annual Italian Family Celebration is Wednesday night.

Washington Nationals 13-16
Tied for 3rd Place in the N.L. East, 7 games behind the Mets

Nationals Probables
MacKenzie Gore (2-3, 3.34)
Jake Irvin (2-0, 3.19)
TBD

Nationals Leaders
Average:  Keibert Ruiz - .309
Runs:  James Wood - 18
Home Runs:  James Wood - 9
RBIs:  Nathaniel Lowe and James Wood - 20
Stolen Bases:  Dylan Crews - 6

Wins:  Jorge Lopez and Mitchell Parker - 3
ERA:  Mitchell Parker - 2.65

Strikeouts:  MacKenzie Gore - 53
Saves:  Kyle Finnegan - 9

Philadelphia Phillies 15-13
2nd Place in the N.L. East, 4 1/2 games behind the Mets

Phillies Probables
Zack Wheeler (2-1, 3.62)
TBD
Taijuan Walker (1-2, 2.78)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Bryson Stott - .292
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 19
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 7
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 18
Stolen Bases:  Bryce Harper and Trea Turner - 6

Wins:  Jose Alvarado and Jesus Luzardo - 3
ERA:  Jesus Luzardo - 1.73
Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 50
Saves:  Jose Alvarado - 5

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Game 28 - Nola Returns to Form Against Cubs

Philadelphia Phillies	3
Chicago Cubs	1

10 Innings

2025 Topps Heritage #186

Sunday Night, April 27th

Wrigley Field - Chicago, IL
15-13, 2nd Place, 4 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Aaron Nola was finally Nola-esque and the Phillies prevailed in 10 innings to take the three-game series with the Cubs.

What It Means:  Following an off-day on Monday, the Phillies return home for six games against the Nationals and Diamondbacks.

What Happened:  He didn't get the win, but Nola provided a lot of relief to Phillies fans on Sunday night, allowing a run on three hits and a walk while striking out six over seven solid innings.  Nola didn't give up any home runs.  The bullpen trio of Orion Kerkering, Jose Alvarado and Jordan Romano (!) was able to keep the Cubs from scoring in the final three innings of the game.

In the third, the Phillies tied the game at 1-1 when Bryson Stott tripled and scored on Trea Turner's RBI-single to left.  The game remained knotted until the 10th inning.  With Nick Castellanos starting the inning at second base, J.T. Realmuto and Max Kepler both walked to load the bases.  Alec Bohm then hit a sacrifice fly to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead.  Later in the inning, Turner provided an insurance run with an RBI-single to score Kepler.  Romano needed 13 pitches, 10 of which were strikes, to retire the Cubs in the bottom of the 10th.

Featured Card:  Nola's 2024 Topps Heritage card was recently released in the High Numbers series, and a few weeks later we already have his 2025 Topps Heritage card.  This year's Heritage set pays tribute to the 1976 Topps set, and I couldn't resist opening a hobby box recently with my oldest son, Doug.  This fairly unflattering Nola card was one of several Phillies in the box.

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Game 27 - Six-Run Fourth Inning Propels Phils to Victory

Philadelphia Phillies	10
Chicago Cubs	4

2016 Topps #475

Saturday Afternoon, April 26th

Wrigley Field - Chicago, IL
14-13, 2nd Place, 5 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Jesus Luzardo continued to impress and Max Kepler had his biggest game yet with his new club, as the Phillies downed the Cubs, 10-4.

What It Means:  The win split the series and ended the five-game losing streak.  Hopefully a lengthy winning streak is coming next.

What Happened:  Luzardo improved to 3-0, allowing three hits and two unearned runs in six innings of work, while striking out five.  A costly error by Trea Turner led to the unearned runs in the fifth.  This was the sequence in the big fourth inning - Kyle Schwarber was hit by a pitch, Nick Castellanos singled, J.T. Realmuto singled, Kepler singled, scoring Schwarber.  Alec Bohm singled, scoring Castellanos, and Johan Rojas hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Realmuto.  Bryson Stott singled, scoring Kepler and Bryce Harper capped the inning with a two-run double.  That chased Cubs' pitcher Ben Brown, a former Phillies' farmhand.

Three more runs scored in the sixth on an RBI-single from Turner and a two-run double from Schwarber.  Kepler ended his big day with a solo home run, his second of the season, in the seventh.

Featured Card:  Collectors are still waiting for Kepler's first Phillies card.  Here's his rookie card from the smokey 2016 Topps set.

Transaction:  Phillies Room Favorite Kody Clemens has joined Kepler's former team.  Clemens (inf) was traded to the Minnesota Twins for cash considerations, given the popular back-up was out of minor league options.  In parts of three seasons with the Phillies, Clemens batted .220 with nine home runs and 31 RBIs.  He appeared in 97 games, playing every position except catcher and center field.

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Game 26 - Losing Streak Reaches Four as Bats Snooze

Philadelphia Phillies	0
Chicago Cubs	4

2016 Topps Bunt #91

Friday Afternoon, April 25th

Wrigley Field - Chicago, IL
13-13, 2nd Place, 5 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  As the offense continued to look for timely hits, Colin Rea and four Cubs' relievers combined to shutout the Phillies in this 4-0 loss.

What It Means:  The Phillies are a miserable lot right now, having lost four in a row and getting tagged with their third shutout already this season.  Since taking two out of three from the powerhouse Dodgers at the start of the season, they are 6-11.

What Happened:  The game was delayed over two hours at the outset due to rain and the gametime temperature was 45 degrees.  Taijuan Walker threw 86 pitches in just three innings, allowing a pair of runs on six hits.  Relievers Tanner Banks and Carlos Hernandez gave up two more runs.  The Phillies showed some life in the seventh after J.T. Realmuto singled and Alec Bohm walked to start the inning.  Cal Stevenson struck out, Bryson Stott popped out and Trea Turner grounded out in quick succession to end the threat.

Featured Card:  Former Cub Kyle Schwarber is batting .111 (2 for 18) with eight strikeouts in his last five games.  Stott, Turner, Bryce Harper and Schwarber were a combined 1 for 15 in this game.

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Philadelphia Phillies at Chicago Cubs - Phils Look to Rebound

2005 Topps #257

2005 Topps Update #UH72

Friday, April 25th - 2:20
Saturday, April 26th - 4:05
Sunday, April 27th - 7:10

Wrigley Field - Chicago, IL
The Cubs are giving out a Clark the Cub's Scoreboard bobblehead before the game on Saturday.  Theme tickets for Sunday's game are available for either a Northeastern Illinois University Cubs t-shirt or a Cubs youth sliding glove.

Philadelphia Phillies 13-12
2nd Place in the N.L. East, 5 games behind the Mets

Phillies Probables
Taijuan Walker (1-1, 2.29)
Jesus Luzardo (2-0, 2.08)
Aaron Nola (0-5, 6.43)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Bryson Stott - .298
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 18
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 7
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 16
Stolen Bases:  Bryce Harper and Trea Turner - 6

Wins:  Five tied with - 2
ERA:  Jesus Luzardo - 2.08
Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 50
Saves:  Jose Alvarado - 5

Chicago Cubs 16-10
1st Place in the N.L. Central, 3 games ahead of the Brewers

Cubs Probables
Colin Rea (0-0, 1.32)
Ben Brown (2-1, 4.57)
Jameson Taillon (1-1, 4.73)

Cubs Leaders
Average:  Kyle Tucker - .314
Runs:  Kyle Tucker - 25
Home Runs:  Kyle Tucker - 7
RBIs:  Kyle Tucker - 25
Stolen Bases:  Pete Crow-Armstrong - 10

Wins:  Justin Steele - 3
ERA:  Shota Imanaga - 2.38

Strikeouts:  Shota Imanaga - 27
Saves:  Ryan Pressly - 4

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Game 25 - Phils Can't Avoid Sweep

Philadelphia Phillies	3
New York Mets	4

10 Innings

2023 Topps #196

Wednesday Night, April 23rd

Citi Field - Flushing, NY
13-12, 2nd Place, 5 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies wasted Zack Wheeler's outing as the bats continued to slumber and Jordan Romano's struggles persisted in this 4-3, extra-inning loss to the Mets. 

What It Means:  Dreadful.  Bryce Harper went 1 for 11 with three walks in the series, and he had this to say following the loss:  "We've got to play better baseball."

What Happened:  The game was tied 2-2 through regulation.  The Mets struck first, with Brett Baty hitting a two-run home run in the second.  The Phillies tied it up in the fourth on RBI singles from Johan Rojas and Trea Turner, scoring Edmundo Sosa and Weston Wilson.  Wheeler struck out nine in his six innings, allowing five hits and walking a pair.  Jose Alvarado threw two scoreless frames in the eighth and ninth innings.

The Phillies took the lead in the 10th when Nick Castellanos singled home zombie runner Harper.  With Romano on the mound in the bottom of the 10th, Pete Alonso doubled home zombie runner Francisco Lindor and Starling Marte singled Alonso home with the winning run.

Featured Card:  Romano, the team's big offseason bullpen pick-up, has been awful.  An All-Star in 2022 and 2023 with the Blue Jays, Romano owns a 13.50 ERA through 11 appearances and 9 1/3 innings pitched so far in 2025.

Transaction:  Wilson (of) was activated from the 10-day injured list and Kody Clemens (inf), who is out of minor league options, was designated for assignment.  Clemens has appeared in just seven games for the Phillies so far this season, all as a pinch-hitter or pinch-runner.

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Game 24 - Bullpen, Offensive Woes Continue in Latest Loss

Philadelphia Phillies	1
New York Mets	5

1988 Fleer #636

Tuesday Night, April 22nd

Citi Field - Flushing, NY
13-11, 2nd Place, 4 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Not much went right for the Phillies in this 5-1 loss to the Mets.

What It Means:  I'm catching up on the last two games on Thursday, so we already know the Phillies would eventually be swept in this series by the Mets.  What a crappy week to be a Phillies fan.

What Happened:  Perhaps more concerning than the loss was the fact Cristopher Sanchez departed this game after two innings with soreness in his left forearm.  Joe Ross did an admirable job with three innings of shutout pitching in relief, but the Phillies offense couldn't overcome the early 2-0 deficit.  Orion Kerkering allowed three more runs to score in the seventh, all but putting the game out of reach.  Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm both had multi-hit games, but the offense overall went 2 for 7 with runners in scoring position.

Featured Card:  My intense dislike of the Mets predates this card.

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Game 23 - First Win Elusive for Nola

Philadelphia Phillies	4
New York Mets	5

2024 Topps Heritage #596

Monday Night, April 21st

Citi Field - Flushing, NY
13-10, 2nd Place, 3 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Aaron Nola fell to 0-5 and a late game comeback wasn't enough for the Phillies in this 5-4 loss to the first place Mets.

What It Means:  I hate the Mets.

What Happened:  Nola gave up a pair of home runs in the first two innings to Francisco Lindor and Jesse Winker to give the Mets a 2-0 lead.  It was briefly 5-0 Mets in the third inning after Juan Soto hit what was originally called a three-run home run, but replays showed the ball as clearly foul.  Nola departed with one out in the seventh inning, having settled down and allowed seven hits overall while striking out six.  Jose  Ruiz entered the game, inheriting runners on first and second from Nola, and quickly gave up a three-run home run to Lindor.

The Phillies scored all their runs in the ninth.  Max Kepler led off with a double and scored on J.T. Realmuto's RBI single.  Alec Bohm reached on a single, and the Mets brought in closer Edwin Diaz.  Bryson Stott gave us some temporary hope when he launched a three-run home run off Diaz to bring the deficit to just a run.  But Diaz quickly struck out Trea Turner and Bryce Harper to end the ballgame.

Featured Card:  Posting a card for Nola in the hopes he turns it around with his next start.

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Game 22 - Jesus Saves, Orion Does Not in Loss to Fish

Miami Marlins	7
Philadelphia Phillies	5

10 Innings

2015 Philadelphia Phillies
Pope Francis Rookie Card SGA

Sunday Afternoon, April 20th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
13-9, 2nd Place, 2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  With a 4-2 lead in the eighth inning, Orion Kerkering allowed three runs to score, and the Phillies ultimately lost in extra innings, 7-5.

What It Means:  The bullpen has emerged as an early problem area for the Phillies, with only Jose Alvarado and Matt Strahm consistently reliable.  The two bullpen acquisition of Joe Ross (7.45 ERA in 9 2/3 innings) and Jordan Romano (15.26 ERA in 7 2/3 innings) have been disappointing, while the departed Jeff Hoffman, Carlos Estevez and Seranthony Dominguez are all finding success with their new teams.  This loss can be pinned on Kerkering and Strahm, who couldn't pitch a clean 10th inning.

What Happened:  Luzardo went seven strong innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on eight hits while striking out seven.  The Phillies plated three runs in the first inning.  Bryson Stott singled, stole second and came home on Bryce Harper's double.  Nick Castellanos would later single Harper home.  Rafael Marchan singled home the team's fourth run in the fourth.

Featured Card:  On Monday morning, we learned Pope Francis had passed away at the age of 88 following a stroke.  When he visited Philadelphia in 2015, the Phillies gave away his "rookie card" as an unannounced giveaway prior to a game (or games?) that September.  I'm not sure exactly when the cards were handed out, as the Pope was in town on September 26th and 27th, and the Phillies were in Washington on those days for a series against the Nationals.

Transaction:  In the first roster move of the season, Brandon Marsh (of) was placed on the 10-day IL with a right hamstring strain and Cal Stevenson (of) was recalled from Lehigh Valley.

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Game 21 - Strong Offense Bails Out Troublesome 'Pen

Miami Marlins	10
Philadelphia Phillies	11

2025 Philadelphia Phillies
Kids Club / Club 215

Saturday Afternoon, April 19th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
13-8, 2nd Place, 1 game behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  What should have been a laugher of a win turned into a close ballgame following Jordan Romano's implosion, but the Phils hung on to win, 11-10.

What It Means:  After winning the first two of the series, the Phillies would go for the sweep on Easter Sunday behind Jesus Luzardo.

What Happened:  Taijuan Walker turned in another impressive performance, allowing a run on one hit and three walks before exiting with some shoulder stiffness after the fourth inning.  Carlos Hernandez allowed three runs in his inning of work and Romano surrendered six runs in the ninth, before Jose Alvarado recorded the final out and his fifth save on two pitches.  Romano has pitched in nine games so far - doing fine in five of them, but doing awful in the other four.  His ERA stands at 15.26 after allowing six runs in 2/3 of an inning on six hits in this game.

Trea Turner was an offensive star, going 4 for 5 with a pair of runs scored and two batted in.  The Phils collected seven doubles and both Bryson Stott and Johan Rojas had three hits each.

Featured Card:  Stott led the day with three RBIs.  He gave the Phillies a 6-1 lead in the fourth, scoring two runs with an RBI double.  His RBI single in the fifth made it a 9-1 ballgame, scoring Johan Rojas.  Here's his team-issued card available throughout the season with a kid's or teen's fan club membership.

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Game 20 - Harper, Schwarber Homer, Wheeler Ks 13 in Win

Miami Marlins	2
Philadelphia Phillies	7

2025 Topps Now #80

Friday Night, April 18th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
12-8, 2nd Place, 1 game behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies got to Sandy Alcantara early with six runs in the first two innings and Zack Wheeler struck out 13 in this 7-2 win over the Marlins.

What It Means:  In what I thought would be a quick pitcher's duel turned into a Phillies' slugfest against the usually tough Alcantara.

What Happened:  Bryce Harper launched a two-run home run in the first inning, while we were still making our way from the porch bar outside Pass and Stow (see below).  In the second, Max Kepler walked, J.T. Realmuto singled, Alec Bohm singled Kepler home and Johan Rojas singled Realmuto home to give the Phillies a 4-0 lead.  A Bryson Stott sacrifice fly and a wild pitch from Alcantara gave the Phillies two more runs, and all the run support Wheeler would need.  Wheeler improved to 2-1 with seven strong innings, allowing a pair of runs on a two-run home run to Eric Wagaman in the sixth inning.

Kyle Schwarber hit a solo home run, his seventh of the season, in the seventh.

Featured Card:  I've made it an unofficial rule of the blog to only feature cards in my collection in these posts.  I technically don't have this card in hand, but I ordered it already, so I'll feature it here.  The Phillies were one of the last teams in the majors to earn a Topps Now card this season, with Wheeler's 13 K performance breaking the slump.

Field Report:  I somewhat spontaneously took advantage of a Phillies flash sale before the start of the season, buying 30 tickets to this game for myself and my co-workers to enjoy.  It was a great night for baseball, and we sat in the less windy Section 203 for the duration of the game.  I didn't expect there to be such a huge crowd for a Good Friday game against the Marlins, but the paid attendance ended up being 44,949.

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Philadelphia Phillies at New York Mets - N.L. East Showdown, Part 1

2005 Topps Update #UH87

2005 Topps Retired Signature #16

Monday, April 21st - 7:10
Tuesday, April 22nd - 7:10
Wednesday, April 23rd - 1:10

Citi Field - Flushing, NY
There are some discounts and theme tickets available for this important (and early) three-game series, but otherwise no other giveaways.

Philadelphia Phillies 13-9
2nd Place in the N.L. East, 2 games behind the Mets

Phillies Probables
Aaron Nola (0-4, 6.65)
Cristopher Sanchez (2-0, 2.96)
Zack Wheeler (2-1, 3.73)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Nick Castellanos - .304
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 18
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 7
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 16
Stolen Bases:  Trea Turner - 6

Wins:  Five tied with - 2
ERA:  Jesus Luzardo - 2.08
Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 41
Saves:  Jose Alvarado - 5

New York Mets 15-7
1st Place in the N.L. East, 2 games ahead of the Phillies

Mets Probables
Tylor Megill (2-2, 1.40)
Griffin Canning (2-1, 3.43)
David Peterson (1-1, 3.27)

Mets Leaders
Average:  Pete Alonso - .346
Runs:  Juan Soto - 16
Home Runs:  Pete Alonso - 6
RBIs:  Pete Alonso - 24
Stolen Bases:  Luisangel Acuna - 6

Wins:  Kodai Senga - 3
ERA:  Kodai Senga - 0.79

Strikeouts:  Clay Holmes - 34
Saves:  Edwin Diaz - 5

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Happy Birthday Ben!

I'll keep this post briefer than usual this year as we celebrate Ben's 15th (!) birthday.  It's brief since we've barely stopped moving since the high school spring sports season began, and given Ben has earned himself a spot on the varsity (!) tennis team.  Having not played sports in high school, I had no idea the time commitment involved on a daily basis, and with two kids with relentless schedules, the past month has been a blur.

He continues to get great grades, play beautiful piano and find creative outlets for his wild imagination.  We're so proud of this kid and can't wait to see what he does next!

Memory Lane

2010 - Welcome Ben!

2010 - Ben is born, Roy Halladay wins, all is right with the world

2011 - Ben turns one as Roy Oswalt pitches the Phillies past the Padres

2012 - Happy 2nd Birthday Ben!

2013 - Happy 3rd Birthday Ben!
2014 - Ben is Four!
2015 - Ben is Five!
2016 - Ben and Chewbacca
2017 - Ben is Seven!
2018 - Ben is Eight!
2019 - Ben at the Grand Canyon
2020 - Ben is Ten! (Social distancing version)

2021 - Ben, accomplished piano player, amazing kid, turns 11

2022 - This kid, with unlimited potential and an unrivaled imagination, is 12.

2023 - Ben enters teen years. (What?)

2024 - The 14 Era begins.

2025 - Busy Ben, Varsity tennis player, turns 15.

Miami Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies - Easter Weekend Series

2005 Topps #380

2005 Topps #492

Friday, April 18th - 6:45
Saturday, April 19th - 1:05
Sunday, April 20th - 1:35

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
On Saturday, all kids will receive a pair of Nick Castellanos Phillies wristbands.  Easter Sunday doubles as the Phanatic's birthday and all kids will receive a Phanatic widget hat.

Miami Marlins 8-10
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 3 1/2 games behind the Mets

Marlins Probables
Sandy Alcantara (2-0, 4.70)
Cal Quantrill (1-1, 5.79)
Connor Gillispie (0-2, 6.63)

Marlins Leaders
Average:  Xavier Edwards - .333
Runs:  Xavier Edwards - 11
Home Runs:  Matt Mervis - 6
RBIs:  Matt Mervis - 12
Stolen Bases:  Xavier Edwards - 6

Wins:  Sandy Alcantara - 2
ERA:  Max Meyer - 2.63

Strikeouts:  Max Meyer - 27
Saves:  Anthony Bender and Calvin Faucher - 1

Philadelphia Phillies 11-8
2nd Place in the N.L. East, 1 game behind the Mets

Phillies Probables
Zack Wheeler (1-1, 4.07)
Taijuan Walker (1-1, 2.30)
Jesus Luzardo (2-0, 2.31)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Nick Castellanos - .304
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 16
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 6
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 14
Stolen Bases:  Three tied with - 4

Wins:  Four tied with - 2
ERA:  Jesus Luzardo - 2.31
Strikeouts:  Cristopher Sanchez - 31
Saves:  Jose Alvarado - 4

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Game 19 - Sanchez K's 12 in Victory Over Giants

San Francisco Giants	4
Philadelphia Phillies	6

2024 Topps Update #US32

Thursday Afternoon, April 17th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
11-8, 2nd Place, 1 game behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Cristopher Sanchez put on a changeup clinic and the Phillies scored five runs in the first inning in this 6-4 win.

What It Means:  They split the four-game series with the Giants, and now the Marlins come to town for an Easter Weekend series against the Phillies.

What Happened:  Sanchez struck out 12 batters over seven innings, the most by a Phillies lefty starter since Cole Hamels' no-hitter in 2015.  He improved to 2-0, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits and a walk.  Jose Alvarado gave up a solo home run in the ninth to Tyler Fitzgerald, but managed to secure his fourth save.

The Phillies jumped on Giants' starter Jordan Hicks early.  In the first, Bryson Stott and Trea Turner singled and Bryce Harper walked to load the bases.  Kyle Schwarber brought two runs home with an RBI single, and Nick Castellanos added a third run with another single.  Alec Bohm capped the five-run inning with a triple to center to score Castellanos.  An Edmundo Sosa sacrifice fly in the eighth gave the Phillies an important insurance run.

Featured Card:  Here's Sanchez's card from last year's Topps Update set.

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Game 18 - Wind, Wildness and Walks Doom Phils

San Francisco Giants	11
Philadelphia Phillies	4

1975 Topps #240

Wednesday Night, April 16th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
10-8, 2nd Place, 1 game behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Aaron Nola suffered through what he deemed his worst start ever, and the game quickly got away from the Phillies, as they lost to the Giants, 11-4.

What It Means:  It was unusually windy at the ballpark and playing conditions weren't ideal, but the Giants managed to outplay the Phillies with the help of nine walks from the pitching staff.

What Happened:  Nola fell to 0-4, allowing seven runs (six earned) in 5 1/3 innings, while striking out eight and walking four.  He spotted the Giants four runs in the first, including a run that scored on a bases loaded walk.  The Phillies scored two runs on bases loaded walks in the bottom of the first from Giants' starter Robbie Ray.  There was some brief hope after Bryce Harper tied the game in the fourth with a two-run home run.  But the Giants would score seven unanswered runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.  Joe Ross continued to struggle, giving up a four spot in his one inning of work.  The Phillies offense was 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

Featured Card:  Let's cheer up the vibe here a little with one of my favorite Giants cards in my Phillies Collection, featuring the former Secretary of Defense.

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Game 17 - Bohm's Clutch Hit Leads to Win

San Francisco Giants	4
Philadelphia Phillies	6

2025 Philadelphia Phillies
Kids Club / Club 215

Tuesday Night, April 15th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
10-7, 2nd Place, 1 game behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies battled back late, receiving clutch hits from J.T. Realmuto and Alec Bohm in this 6-4 win over the Giants.

What It Means:  Two more games with the Giants remain before the Marlins come to Philly for the weekend.

What Happened:  Jesus Luzardo faced off against future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander, with Luzardo finishing with a slightly better line score.  Luzardo allowed three runs on five hits and a pair of walks while striking out four in 5 1/3 innings.  Verlander took the loss and went 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits, three walks.

J.T. Realmuto homered in the second and Brandon Marsh, mired in a lengthy 0-fer, hit a sacrifice fly to give the Phillies a 2-0 lead.  The Giants tied the score in the fourth and took a one-run lead in the sixth.  In the bottom of the sixth, Realmuto singled home Kyle Schwarber to tie the game again.  Bohm later singled to left to score Nick Castellanos and give the Phillies a 4-3 lead.  Bryce Harper added a two-run home run in the seventh.  Matt Strahm worked a perfect ninth to record his first save of the season.

Featured Card:  Bohm and Marsh are both suffering through horrendous slumps, so it was great to see them both contribute to this win.  Here's Bohm's team-issued card, available to members of the Kids Club or Club 215 at their Ashburn Alley kiosk throughout the season.

Field Report:  Jenna and I were there, sitting in the very cold and very windy Section 204.  The vantage from right field afforded some fantastic views of the sunset, but we could have done without the gusty (and did I mention cold) winds.  Dinner was once again enjoyed at Pass at Stow prior to the game.

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Game 16 - Walker, Phils' Bats Struggle in Loss

San Francisco Giants	10
Philadelphia Phillies	4

2005 Bowman Heritage #4

Monday Night, April 14th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
9-7, 2nd Place, 2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Taijuan Walker's scoreless streak came to an end as the Phillies' offense continued to scuffle in this 10-4 series opening loss to the Giants.

What It Means:  When the Phillies are firing on all (or some) cylinders, they're a lot of fun to watch.  When they're not, and the opposing team scores six times in one inning, as the Giants did in the second, they are not any fun to watch.

What Happened:  After a scoreless first inning, Walker allowed the Giants to bat around in the second, scoring six runs.  Two of the runs were unearned due to Walker's throwing error.  The Phillies had staked him a 3-0 lead in the first on an RBI-double by Trea Turner, and RBI-single by Nick Castellanos and an RBI ground out by Max Kepler.  Only one more Phillies run would cross the plate on a solo home run from Castellanos in the fifth.  Overall, the offense was 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

Walker allowed six runs (four earned) on six hits, including a pair of home runs, and a walk.  Tanner Banks and Jose Ruiz each allowed a pair of Giants runs in the later innings.

Featured Card:  I had planned on posting a card of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, as his grandson, Mike, did damage to the Phillies tonight with a two-run home run off Banks in the seventh inning.  But since I have no Yaz cards in my Phillies collection, here's a card of current Giants' hitting coach Pat, The Bat, Burrell.

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San Francisco Giants at Philadelphia Phillies - 7 Game Homestand Begins

2005 Topps #14

2005 Topps Update #UH4

Monday, April 14th - 6:45
Tuesday, April 15th - 6:45
Wednesday, April 16th - 6:45
Thursday, April 17th - 4:05

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
Monday night is a Phillies Franks BOGO Night, the more expensive replacement for Dollar Dog Night.  Tuesday is Jackie Robinson Day with the Phillies hosting an on-field tribute to the civil rights pioneer prior to the game.

San Francisco Giants 11-4
2nd Place in the N.L. West, 1 game behind the Padres

Giants Probables
Landen Roupp (0-1, 3.60)
Justin Verlander (0-0, 6.92)
Robbie Ray (3-0, 2.93)
Jordan Hicks (1-1, 5.87)

Giants Leaders
Average:  Jung Hoo Lee - .352
Runs:  Jung Hoo Lee - 16
Home Runs:  Wilmer Flores - 6
RBIs:  Wilmer Flores - 19
Stolen Bases:  Tyler Fitzgerald - 4

Wins:  Robbie Ray - 3
ERA:  Logan Webb - 2.63

Strikeouts:  Logan Webb - 26
Saves:  Ryan Walker - 4

Philadelphia Phillies 9-6
2nd Place in the N.L. East, 1/2 game behind the Mets

Phillies Probables
Taijuan Walker (1-0, 0.00)
Jesus Luzardo (2-0, 1.50)
Aaron Nola (0-3, 5.51)
Cristopher Sanchez (1-0, 3.12)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Nick Castellanos - .291
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 13
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 6
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 12
Stolen Bases:  Three tied with - 4

Wins:  Jose Alvarado and Jesus Luzardo - 2
ERA:  Jesus Luzardo - 1.50
Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 28
Saves:  Jose Alvarado - 3

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Game 15 - Phils Sleep Through Sunday Matinee in St. Louis

Philadelphia Phillies	0
St. Louis Cardinals	7

1988 Fleer #308

Sunday Afternoon, April 13th

Busch Stadium - St. Louis, MO
9-6, 2nd Place, 1 game behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies managed three singles against Matthew Liberatore and three Cardinals' relievers, getting shut out for the second time in the series with this 7-0 loss.

What It Means:  The Phillies went 2-4 on a forgettable road trip, and they now head home for four against the Giants and three against the Marlins.

What Happened:  I got a little bit of a nap in, and so did the Phillies' bats.  Zack Wheeler allowed four runs on seven hits in six innings, with relievers Matt Strahm and Carlos Hernandez unable to stop the Cardinals from running up the score.  Libertore struck out seven in his six innings.  

The Phillies managed hits from Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto and Edmundo Sosa.  Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh both went 0 for 3, watching their averages dip to .150 and .108, repsectively.

Featured Card:  @boopstats posted this brutal look at Marsh's start to 2025 over on Bluesky:

Marsh finds himself in a category with Steve Jeltz, with the slick-fielding, light-hitting Bobby Wine next in his crosshairs.

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Game 14 - Casty, Twin-Killings Back Sanchez's Winning Effort

Philadelphia Phillies	4
St. Louis Cardinals	1

2025 Topps #109

Saturday Afternoon, April 12th

Busch Stadium - St. Louis, MO
9-5, Tied for 1st Place, 2 games ahead of the Marlins

One Sentence Summary:  Cristopher Sanchez induced four double play balls and Nick Castellanos had a clutch, two-run double in this 4-1 win over the Cardinals.

What It Means:  With the series split, the Phillies will look for a win this afternoon behind Zack Wheeler.

What Happened:  Sanchez didn't seem to have his best stuff, but he picked up his first win of the season, allowing a run on eight hits and three walks while striking out three.  Double play ground outs got him out of trouble in the first, second, third and fifth innings.  Jordan Romano benefitted from a fifth double play ball in the eighth inning.  Jose Alvarado pitched a perfect ninth to record his third save.

Castellanos doubled home the first two runs of the game in the first inning following a single from Bryce Harper and a Kyle Schwarber walk.  Bryson Stott doubled home Brandon Marsh to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead in the fifth.  Trea Turner added an insurance run in the seventh, singling home Bohm, who had ended a lengthy 0-fer with an infield single to short to start the inning.

Featured Card:  Here's Sanchez's card from Topps Series One to celebrate his first win of the season.

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