Game 81 - Phils Nearly Suffer Shutout Sweep, Exit Houston in 2nd Place

Philadelphia Phillies	1
Houston Astros	2

1974 Topps #47 Ruthven

Thursday Afternoon, June 26th

Daikin Park - Houston, TX
47-34, 2nd Place, 1/2 game behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Hunter Brown baffled Phillies' batters and the Astros nearly pulled off a shutout sweep in this deflating 2-1 loss.

What It Means:  It's not going well.  This game marked the mathematical half-way point of the season, and the only thing I'm confident about is the Phillies' starting pitching.  Bryce Harper may return to the line-up as soon as Monday, but he'll be missing again for the upcoming weekend series against the Braves.

What Happened:  Following Ranger Suarez and Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez was the latest Phillies pitcher to throw a gem and get rewarded with a no-decision.  Sanchez struck out 11 in six innings, allowing a run on five hits.  Max Lazar pitched a scoreless seventh, and Orion Kerkering allowed the winning run to score in the bottom of the eighth.  After being shut out for the first 25 innings of this series, the Phillies pushed across a lone run in the top of the eighth.  Bryson Stott walked, went to third on a Rafael Marchan single, and scored on a Brandon Marsh sacrifice fly.

Featured Card:  Incredible note from @schmenk-bsky on Bluesky, showing this is the first time the Phillies have been swept in a three-game series while giving up only five runs.  The Astros pulled off the shutout sweep back in August 1974, scoring seven runs to the Phillies' none.  The final scores of those games - 1-0, 1-0, 5-0, and the losing pitchers were Dick Ruthven, Steve Carlton and Wayne Twitchell.

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Spring Training Game 16 - Small Ball, Pitching Depth Wins Over Twins

Philadelphia Phillies	4
Minnesota Twins	1

2023 Topps Heritage #495

Spring Training Game 16

Monday Afternoon, March 10

Lee Health Sports Complex - Fort Myers, FL

Record - 7-8-1

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies used singles and seven pitchers likely slated for Lehigh Valley in this 4-1 win over the Twins.

What It Means:  After nearly an hour rain delay, the Phillies kicked off their second to last full week of spring training games before opening day on March 27th.

What Happened:  All the Phillies' runs came in the fourth inning, with two outs, without an extra-base hit.  Alec Bohm and Rodolfo Castro reached on singles, with a Cal Stevenson single scoring Bohm.  Rafael Lantigua followed with a two-run single to score Bohm and Stevenson.  Lantigua stole second and came home on an RBI single from Bryson Stott.  Stevenson and Kody Clemens both had multi-hit days.

It was a good day for the team's pitching depth to get in some work.  Seven Phillies pitchers held the Twins to one run, despite allowing eight hits and walking six.  Seth Johnson got the start and the win after two scoreless innings.

Featured Card:  I've not featured any cards of non-roster invitee Nicholas Padilla yet, and his one mainstream cardboard appearance can be found in the 2023 Topps Heritage set.  Padilla got out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth with a double play ball.

Camp Head Count:  56 - 3 = 53

Johnson (rhp) and Alan Rangel (rhp) were optioned to Lehigh Valley and Padilla (rhp) was reassigned to minor league camp.  All three pitchers, in order, pitched in this game.

Congrats to Dick Allen - Hall of Famer!

On Sunday night, the 16-member Classic Baseball Era Committee finally inducted Dick Allen into the Hall of Fame.  Allen will posthumously be inducted this summer as part of the Class of 2025.  The Phillies Room is thrilled for Allen's family, the Phillies organization, and those who have continuously lobbied to have Allen immortalized in the Hall.  Finally!

1964 Topps #243

1965 Topps #460

1966 Topps #80

1967 Topps #450

1967 Topps #309

1968 Topps #225

1969 Topps #350

1970 Topps #40

1971 Topps #650

1972 Topps #240

1973 Topps #310

1974 Topps #70

1975 Topps #400

1976 Topps #455

Game 145 - Schwarber Sets Record, Tempers Flare, Phils Prevail

2023 Topps Heritage #508

Phillies 9, Rays 4
Game 145 - Tuesday Night, September 10th in Philadelphia
Record - 87-58, 1st Place, 8 games ahead of the Braves and Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Kyle Schwarber set a home run record and the Phillies plated five runs in the eighth inning, eventually winning the game, 9-4.

What It Means:  This game had a little bit of everything, including a good, old-fashioned bench clearing in the eighth.

What Happened:  Schwarber started the bottom of the first with this 14th lead-off home run of the season, breaking the single-season record set in 2003 by the Nationals' Alfonso Soriano.  The Rays kept battling, tying the game at 2-2 in the top of the third before Trea Turner hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the third to make it 4-2, Phillies.  The Rays would tie it again in the sixth, chasing the struggling Ranger Suarez from the game after 5 1/3 innings.

2024 Chachi #65

In the eighth, Brandon Marsh drew a walk and Kody Clemens doubled him to third, with the Rays then bringing in Edwin Uceta from the bullpen.  Pinch-hitter Cal Stevenson laced a two-run double to right, scoring both runners and giving the Phillies a 6-4 lead.  Buddy Kennedy then collected his first hit with the Phillies, driving home Clemens, and Turner followed that with his second two-run home run of the game.  With Uceta still on the mound, Bryce Harper doubled and Uceta then drilled Nick Castellanos in the back, causing both benches and bullpens to empty.  Uceta was ejected and would later receive a three-game suspension.

Featured Cards:  I went with a few cards for this game, with Turner getting the shaft even though he was 3 for 5 with two home runs.  Stevenson received a Phillies card last year in the Topps Heritage High Number release, even though he had yet to play a game with the team.  And I wanted to pay tribute to Schwarber's record breaking home run with a special highlight card.

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist

2024 Chachi #64 Seth Johnson / 2024 Chachi #66 Phils Clinch East HL

Game 116 - D-Backs' Dinger Walks It Off Against Hoffman

2023 Topps Heritage #140

Diamondbacks 3, Phillies 2
Game 116 - Late Friday Night, August 9th in Phoenix
Record - 69-47, 1st Place, 8 games ahead of the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies battled back to tie this game late, only for Adrian Del Castillo to hit the first pitch thrown by Jeff Hoffman in the bottom of the ninth into the right field bleachers for a 3-2 Diamondbacks win.

What It Means:  Where is the Phillies offense?

What Happened:  Zack Wheeler deserved better.  He pitched six innings, scattering seven hits and allowing two runs while striking out eight.  The Phillies didn't score until the seventh inning, when Bryce Harper hit a solo home run to left, his 26th of the season.  In the eighth, Nick Castellanos drew a walk and Johan Rojas doubled him home a few batters later to tie the score.  Tanner Banks and Matt Strahm had kept the Diamondbacks from scoring for two innings, but the game ended after Hoffman's first pitch of the ninth.

Featured Card/Transactions:  The Phillies made a bunch of roster moves prior to this game.  Cal Stevenson (of) and Max Lazar (rhp) had their contracts purchased from Lehigh Valley.  Austin Hays (of) was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain.  Kolby Allard (lhp) was optioned to Lehigh Valley.  Darick Hall (1b) and Max Castillo (rhp) were designated for assignment to open up two spots on the 40-man roster for Stevenson and Lazar.

Hall could clear waivers and come back to the IronPigs, but I'd guess he'll likely land elsewhere.  In 59 games with the Phillies in 2022 and 2023, Hall batted .226 with 10 home runs and 19 RBIs.

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Game 14 - Phils Falter in City Connect Uniform Debut

2023 Topps Heritage #314

Pirates 5, Phillies 2
Game 14 - Friday Night, April 12th in Philadelphia
Record - 7-7, 2nd Place, 2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies dropped a sloppy game against the Pirates on the night they debuted their long-awaited City Connect uniforms.

What It Means:  With the series now tied, the Phillies will try to recover and win a pair of weekend afternoon games today and tomorrow.

What Happened:  The energy generated by the new uniforms was not replicated on the field.  The Phillies were trailing 2-0 in the fifth when Brandon Marsh doubled and Bryson Stott singled him home.  Down 5-1, they loaded the bases in the eighth and came away with only one more run from a bases loaded walk issued to Alec Bohm.  Cristopher Sanchez was shaky on the mound, but did battle through six innings, allowing an unearned run (the error was his) on four hits while striking out six.  Yunior Marte and Ricardo Pinto allowed three more runs to score in relief.

Featured Card:  Bailey Falter started for the Pirates and took the win.  He gave up a run on four hits in his five innings of work, besting Sanchez, who essentially replaced him in the Phillies' starting pitching rotation last season.

Field Report:  Doug and I took in this game from Section 315, and we contributed to the Phillies' merchandise revenue with several City Connect related purchases.  I've long been a fan of the Phillies' blue and yellow uniform combinations from the 1930s, and I personally love the blue and yellow color combination of their new City Connect uniforms.  I would have tweaked a few things, and maybe not had the all-black pants, but overall they're not bad.  I love the hat and the yellow highlights, and I'm also a fan of the Declaration of Independence-style "Philly" font prominent on the fronts of the jerseys.

We're also happy to report our first visit to Bull's BBQ for 2024 was a success, and we're looking forward to many repeat visits throughout the summer and fall.

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist

Spring Training Game 26 - Walker Roughed Up By O's in Loss

2023 Topps Heritage #519

Orioles 13, Phillies 4
Spring Training Game 26 - Wednesday Night, March 20th in Sarasota
Record - 8-12-6

One Sentence Summary:  Taijuan Walker had a rough outing and the Phillies couldn't overcome the early deficit in this 13-4 loss to the Orioles.

What It Means:  This is the point in spring training where you'd like to see the Phillies play a little more competitive baseball.

What Happened:  Walker lasted 2 2/3 innings, allowing seven runs on five hits and three walks.  He allowed three home runs, including a three-run home run in the first from Anthony Santander.  The Phillies went with minor league arms the rest of the way, with the Orioles plating six more runs.  Brandon Marsh and Jordan Luplow both had a pair of hits, and Marsh's triple in the top of the third scored Kyle Schwarber with the first Phillies run of the game.

Featured Card:  Marsh's repaired knee from early spring surgery doesn't seem to be bothering him, as he has been running in the outfield and on the base paths without any ill effects.  With 2024 Topps Heritage about to be released, I still have a few 2023 Topps Heritage Phillies cards yet to be posted, including this Marsh card from last year's High Numbers set.

Camp Head Count:  43

Prior to the game, the Phillies optioned Nick Nelson (rhp) to Lehigh Valley.  Nick Snyder (rhp), Carlos De La Cruz (of), Matt Kroon (of), Simon Muzziotti (of), Nick Podkul (inf) and William Simoneit (c) were all reassigned to minor league camp.

Spring Training Game 12 - Phils Fall Quietly to Orioles

2023 Topps Heritage #588

Orioles 3, Phillies 2
Spring Training Game 12 - Tuesday Afternoon, March 5th in Clearwater
Record - 4-5-3

One Sentence Summary:  A quiet Phillies offense continued to work on some stuff, as Zack Wheeler made his first start since signing his big three-year contract extension.

What It Means:  The Phillies dipped below the .500 mark for the first time this spring, but I don't think any of us are too concerned at this point.

What Happened:  Wheeler went two innings, striking out four and allowing a run on two hits.  Max Castillo entered next and looked great, striking out four and allowing three hits in his three innings.  Jake Cave singled home a run for the Phillies in the fourth after J.T. Realmuto led off with a double.  The Phillies tacked on a run in the ninth when Nick Podkul scored on an infield single from Pedro Martinez.

Featured Card:  Cave, the last out of the Phillies disappointing 2023 playoff run, and now battling for a bench spot, is batting .364 this spring.  He received his first solo mainstream Phillies card in the 2023 Topps Heritage set.

Camp Head Count:  62

I would expect the first spring cuts to start happening any day now.  Only four players haven't yet seen any spring action - Rafael Marchan (c) with a back injury, Brandon Marsh (of) who is recovering from left knee surgery, Taijuan Walker (rhp) with a knee ailment and Ricardo Pinto (rhp) who has had visa issues.

Phils Sign Merrifield / Games Start Tomorrow!

2023 Topps Update #US291

2023 Topps Heritage #524

2023 Topps Big League #136

2023 Topps Heritage #668

2017 Chachi Photo Night #14

The Phillies spent most of the offseason with little to no roster movement, but once camp started in Clearwater there was a sudden flurry of moves.  By my unofficial tally, 65 days passed between the Phillies re-signing Aaron Nola on November 19th and the signing of Kolby Allard on January 23rd.  As we look forward to the first Grapefruit League action tomorrow afternoon, here's a look at the latest comings and goings over the past week.

• On February 14th, the signing of Spencer Turnbull (rhp) was announced, and McKinley Moore (rhp) was designated for assignment.  Turnbull is 12-29 over parts of five seasons with the Tigers.  In 2023, he was 1-4 with a 7.26 ERA in seven starts and I'm assuming he'll provide some starting pitching depth at Triple-A.

• On February 16th, Moore and Diego Castillo (inf) were both claimed off waivers.  Moore went to the Yankees with Castillo going to the Orioles.  It's surprising to me Moore would be let go, given he had been identified as one of the organization's top pitching prospects.

• There were a flurry of moves on Monday, with the biggest being the signing of Whit Merrifield (inf) to a one-year deal to provide a solid infield or outfield bench option.  Merrifield has long been a Phillies Room favorite, as he's one of our son Doug's favorite non-Phillies players.  Like Merrifield, Doug prides himself in being able to play all over the diamond, wherever the team needs him to play.  And I'm excited to add some Merrifield baseball cards to my 2024 Phillies binder

• To make room for Merrifield, Kaleb Ort was designated for assignment and later traded to the Orioles for cash considerations.  Ort had been on the 40-man roster for six days.

• Finally, three more non-roster invitees were added, bringing the total spring head count to 61.  Austin Brice (rhp) last pitched in the majors in 2022 with the Pirates, and he's a veteran of seven big league seasons having spent time with the Marlins, Reds, Marlins again, Red Sox and Pirates.  David Dahl (of) was an All-Star with the Rockies in 2019, and he's spent most of the past two seasons bouncing around the minor league systems of the Brewers, Nationals, Dodgers and Padres.  And Ricardo Pinto (rhp) returns to the Phillies, having last pitched in 25 games for the team in 2017.  He's been all over the place since then, having last pitched in the Mexican League in 2023.

Player (position) - 2023 Organization - Last Major Baseball Card

19.  Austin Brice (rhp) - Diamondbacks/Twins - 2023 Topps Pro Debut #PD-86

20.  David Dahl (of) - Padres/Dodgers - 2019 Topps Total (White Sox)

21.  Ricardo Pinto (rhp) - Mexico - 2023 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs #CPA-GM

Phils Add Pair of Castillos, Rucker; Getting Closer to Pitchers and Catchers

2023 Topps #430

2023 Topps Heritage #568

2023 Topps #251

2022 Topps Update #US19

We've started to play a little long toss at The Phillies Room, in anticipation of the imminent return to (mostly) daily posting.  As we start to get loose, hopefully we won't tweak anything, avoiding the fate of Brandon Marsh who felt something wrong with his knee and underwent surgery on Friday.  The Phillies are hoping Marsh is fine and active in time for opening day.

The Quietest Offseason continued with three more roster additions.  With the 40-man roster now at a full 40 and 15 official non-roster invitees coming to camp, there will be 55 players suiting up in Clearwater soon.  Pitchers and catcher report on Wednesday, with the first full squad work out scheduled for Monday, February 19th.  The first Grapefruit League game is less than a week after that on Saturday, February 24th against the Blue Jays in Dunedin.

Here's a quick look at the three roster moves made this past week:

• On Monday, Diego Castillo (inf) was claimed off waivers from the New York Yankees.  Castillo played in 96 games for the Pirates in 2022, batting .206, and appeared in just one game for the Diamondbacks in 2023.  He played five positions in the field for the Pirates (ss, 2b, rf, 1b, 3b) while also pitching in two games and DH'ing in two games.  That's him as #64 on the Pirates team card from the 2023 Topps set. 

•  On Tuesday, Michael Rucker (rhp) was acquired from the Chicago Cubs for cash considerations.  Andrew Bellati (rhp), who was out of options, was designated for assignment to make room for Rucker on the 40-man roster.  In 96 games with the Cubs over the past three seasons, all in relief, Rucker is 5-2 with a 4.96 ERA over 123 1/3 innings pitched.  As is the fate of many relievers these days, Rucker has yet to appear on any mainstream baseball cards. 

•  A day later, Max Castillo (rhp) was claimed off waivers from the Boston Red Sox, with Simon Muzziotti (of) designated for assignment.  In 21 games with the Blue Jays and Royals in 2022 and 2023, Castillo was 0-3 with a 5.43 ERA in 59 2/3 innings pitched.  Although he's appeared in less games than Rucker, Castillo made it into the 2023 Topps set last year.

Game 161 - Plassmeyer Rocked in '23 Debut

2023 Topps Heritage #496

Mets 11, Phillies 4 (Game 2)
Game 161 - Saturday Night, September 30th in Flushing
Record - 89-72, 2nd Place, 15 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Michael Plassmeyer was hit hard and Kyle Schwarber connected for his career-high 47th home run in this 11-4 loss to the Mets.

What It Means:  The Phillies still don't know who they'll be facing in the Wild Card Series, beginning on Tuesday, but the field has been narrowed down to the Marlins or the Diamondbacks.

What Happened:  Plassmeyer was added to the roster in an effort to rest arms for the postseason.  In his 2023 debut, he lasted 3 2/3 innings, allowing 10 runs (nine earned) on eight hits, including three home runs.  He also hit three batters.  The bullpen did its job, allowing no further runs over 4 1/3 innings, just one hit and striking out nine.  Schwarber's three-run home run in the fourth brought the Phillies closer, as the score at the time was 8-4.

Featured Card:  Plassmeyer is featured on a unique card within the 2023 Topps Heritage short prints, sharing a space with three other short-term Phillies pitchers.  Plassmeyer appeared in two games last season, while Nick Duron and Bubby Rossman both pitched in only game on July 13th.  That was the Covid series in Toronto, necessitating a bunch of roster moves as the unvaccinated on the team couldn't travel to Canada.  Mark Appel wins the veteran award among this quartet as he appeared in six games in 2022 for the Phillies.

Transaction:  Plassmeyer (lhp) had his contract selected from Lehigh Valley.  Luis F. Ortiz (rhp) was optioned to the spring training complex.  Erich Uelmen (rhp) was recalled and placed on the 60-day injured list to make room for Plassmeyer on the 40-man roster.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 144 - Four-Run 1st Inning Provides Spark for Win

2023 Topps Heritage #486

Phillies 7, Braves 5 (Game 2)
Game 144 - Monday Night, September 11th in Philadelphia
Record - 79-65, 2nd Place, 15 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies rode a four-run first inning to this much-needed 7-5 win over the Braves.

What It Means:  With a little more than two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Phillies maintain a 1 1/2 game lead over the Cubs for the first Wild Card spot, and a 3 1/2 game lead overall with the three Wild Card spots up for grabs.

What Happened:  The Phillies began the bottom of the first with singles from Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner and a walk to Bryce Harper.  J.T. Realmuto brought Schwarber home with a sacrifice fly, Nick Castellanos singled home Turner and Edmundo Sosa capped the scoring with a two-run double.  Michael Lorenzen barely kept the Phillies in the game, allowing a three-run home run to Matt Olson in the third.  Jake Cave's triple and Trea Turner's double brought home two more Phillies runs in the fourth, giving them a 6-3 lead.  Brandon Marsh hit a solo home run in the fifth to cap the scoring for the Phillies, and Olson homered again in the sixth for his 50th home run of the season.

Lorenzen got the win, lasting through five innings.  Craig Kimbrel slammed the door in the ninth to record his 23rd save.

Featured Card:  Sosa's first non-Topps Now Phillies baseball card can be found as a short-print in the 2023 Topps Heritage set.

Transaction:  Between games of the double header, Yunior Marte (rhp) was recalled and Andrew Bellatti (rhp) was optioned to the IronPigs.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 107 - Phils Storm Back in 9th for Win; Acquire Lorenzen, Castro

2023 Topps Heritage #134

Phillies 3, Marlins 1
Game 107 - Tuesday Night, August 1st in Miami
Record - 58-49, 2nd Place, 11 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies were held scoreless and mostly lifeless until a three-run outburst in the ninth inning, capped by a Nick Castellanos two-run home run, sent them to this 3-1 win.

What It Means:  A statement was needed against the division rival Marlins, and after this game things looked to be headed in the right direction.

What Happened:  Phillies' batters were thrilled to see Marlins' starter Sandy Alcantara exit the game after nine innings.  Alcantara shut down the Phillies through eight, allowing four hits and striking out five.  Phillies' starter Ranger Suarez was hit often, but somehow managed to give up only a run on 10 hits and a pair of walks in 6 1/3 innings.  

Down to their final at-bat, trailing 1-0 in the top of the 9th, Kyle Schwarber led off the inning with a walk drawn from new Marlins' closer David Robertson.  Bryce Harper would double home pinch-runner Jake Cave a batter later, tying the game.  Castellanos then delivered his 15th home run of the year to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead.  Seranthony Dominguez was perfect in the bottom of the ninth, recording his first save of the season.

Featured Card:  Here's this year's Topps Heritage card for the Phillies' All-Star, who had bee struggling mightily before his big home run.

2023 Topps #564

2023 Bowman Prospects #BP-52

2023 Topps #484

2023 Topps #643

Transactions:  On trade deadline day, the Phillies pulled off two deals.  First, Michael Lorenzen (rhp) was acquired from the Tigers for prospect Hao-Yu Lee (inf).  Lorenzen was an All-Star this year in his first year with the Tigers.  He's a veteran of nine big league seasons, where he's been primarily a starter in only his first year, 2015 with the Reds, and these past two seasons with the Angels and Tigers.  He's 36-36 lifetime with a 4.02 ERA in 331 games pitched.  A threat at the plate too, he's a lifetime .233 batter with seven home runs, including two against the Phillies.  Lee was batting .283 in 64 games this season with the Low-A Jersey Shore BlueClaws.

Second, the Phillies traded Bailey Falter (lhp) to the Pirates for Rodolfo Castro (inf).  In 2 1/2 seasons with the Pirates, Castro batted .226 in 180 games with 22 home runs and 57 RBIs.  Falter showed flashes of brilliance during his two-plus years with the Phillies, but overall he was 8-12 with a 4.56 ERA in 50 games, including 24 starts.  He was lit up by the Padres in last year's NLCS Game 4, allowing four runs in the first in a game the Phillies would ultimately win, 10-6.

Josh Harrison (inf) was designated for assignment to make room for Lorenzen on the 40-man roster, meaning the Phillies played with an open roster spot in this game.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 103 - Wheeler Rains On Pirates' Night

2023 Topps Heritage #303

Phillies 2, Pirates 1
Game 103 - Friday Night, July 28th in Pittsburgh
Record - 56-47, 2nd Place, 10 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Zack Wheeler and the Phillies bullpen made Kyle Schwarber's two-run home run enough to defeat the Pirates, 2-1.

What It Means:  Our oldest son Doug had an out of town baseball tournament this past weekend, which meant we fortunately almost completely missed the debacle that went down in Pittsburgh.  This was the only one of three games I watched pretty much all the way through, which turned out to be a good thing.

What Happened:  Schwarber hit his 27th home run of the season in the third inning, and the Phillies offense was otherwise 2 for 9 with runners in scoring position the rest of the night.  Bryson Stott continued swinging a hot bat, adding two more hits.  Wheeler earned his 8th win, pitching 6 2/3 innings and having his night interrupted by an absolute downpour in the seventh inning.  After a 42 minute rain delay, he turned the game over to Jeff Hoffman, Gregory Soto and Craig Kimbrel, who recorded his 17th save.

Featured Card:  I'm looking forward to some more 2023 Topps releases as I'm running out of cards to post from the mainstream sets they've released so far this year.  This is Wheeler's 1974 Topps inspired card from the Topps Heritage set.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 86 - Clutch 11th Innings Hits Completes Sweep of Rays

Phillies 3, Rays 1 (11 Innings)
Game 86 - Thursday Night, July 6th in St. Petersburg
Record - 47-39, 3rd Place, 11 games behind the Braves

Completely Unnecessary Post-Vacation Game Recap Post 7 of 10

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies won dramatically in 11 innings, completing the sweep of the Rays and extending their road win streak to 12 games.

What It Means:  The team will head to Miami for a three-game series with the Marlins to wrap up the season's first half.

What Happened:  Darick Hall hit a solo home run off old friend Jake Diekman in the fifth to start the scoring, but then Isaac Paredes hit a solo home run off Cristopher Sanchez in the bottom of the inning to tie up the score.  And the game remained in a 1-1 tie until the top of the 11th.  With pinch-runner Edmundo Sosa as the ghost runner to start the inning, Brandon Marsh flied out and Garrett Stubbs was hit in the elbow.  Kyle Schwarber grounded a single to right to score Sosa, and Trea Turner added an insurance run with a single scoring Stubbs.

The Phillies bullpen backed up Sanchez's great outing with five shutout innings from Yunior Marte, Jose Alvarado, Craig Kimbrel and Matt Strahm, who picked up the win.

Featured Card:  Topps was able to digitally alter Strahm's photo for his Topps Heritage card, switching his Red Sox uniform to a Phillies uniform.  He's been one of the club's most reliable pitchers this year, in any role given to him - starting, long relief or closing.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 84 - Nola Out-Duels Eflin in July 4th Win

2023 Topps Heritage #300

Phillies 3, Rays 1
Game 84 - Tuesday Afternoon, July 4th in St. Petersburg
Record - 45-39, 3rd Place, 11 1/2 games behind the Braves

Completely Unnecessary Post-Vacation Game Recap Post 5 of 10

One Sentence Summary:  Aaron Nola out-dueled former teammate Zach Eflin as the Phillies held on to beat the Rays, 3-1.

What It Means:  These catch-up posts are going quicker than I thought they would?  A three-hour rain delay for the Phillies the day I'm catching up (July 16th) is certainly helping things out.

What Happened:  The Phillies took a 1-0 lead in the second on back-to-back doubles from Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm.  Nola and Eflin exchanged zeroes after that until the top of the seventh when Bryce Harper doubled, went to third on a Wander Franco error and scored on Stott's single to right.  The Phillies went up 3-0 in the eighth when Harper drove home Kyle Schwarber with an RBI single.  Nola's only blemish came in the bottom of the eighth when he gave up a solo home to Franco, chasing him from the game.  Craig Kimbrel pitched a perfect ninth, including two strikeouts, recording his 13th save.

Featured Card:  Nola's line was impressive - 7 1/3 innings, 5 hits, 1 run, 1 walk and 12 strikeouts.  Here's his card from the Topps Heritage set, which does a great job using the baby blue throwback uniform.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 82 - Phils Feast on Nationals' Pitching

2023 Topps Heritage #328

Phillies 19, Nationals 4
Game 82 - Saturday Night, July 1st in Philadelphia
Record - 44-38, 3rd Place, 11 games behind the Braves

Completely Unnecessary Post-Vacation Game Recap Post 3 of 10

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies, relatively quiet at the plate the past few games, absolutely demolished Nationals pitching in this 19-4 win.

What It Means:  Shaquille O'Neal performed his postgame DJ set as his Diesel persona, and I imagine it was a fairly raucous crowd at Citizens Bank Park given this game's outcome.

What Happened:  Alec Bohm hit a pair of home runs and drove in six runs.  Nick Castellanos added a two-run home run and had three hits for the day.  Kyle Schwarber connected for a fifth inning grand slam.  It was an all too rare laugher of a game for the Phillies, who did all their scoring before the sixth inning and had 18 hits overall.  Zack Wheeler didn't throw a gem, but allowing four runs in five innings of work was good enough for his seventh win of the season.

Featured Card:  Bohm, the team RBI leader, was 4 for 5 with three runs scored and six RBIs.  I'm slowly working through the Topps Heritage Phillies team set in these game summary posts, and here's Bohm's 1974 Topps-inspired card from that set.

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Game 80 - Phils Complete Sweep of Cubs

2023 Topps Herirtage #17

Phillies 3, Cubs 1
Game 80 - Thursday Night, June 29th in Chicago
Record - 43-37, 3rd Place, 10 games behind the Braves

Completely Unnecessary Post-Vacation Game Recap Post 1 of 10

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies completed the sweep of the Cubs in this low-scoring game, winning 3-1 behind another solid start from Taijuan Walker.

What It Means:  It was the first sweep of the Cubs since 2015, and the Phillies' current nine-game road win streak is their longest since 1984.

What Happened:  Walker picked up his ninth win, allowing a run on six hits in his six innings of work.  The bullpen trio of Yunior Marte, Gregory Soto and Craig Kimbrel shut down the Cubs over the final three innings with Kimbrel earning his 12th save.  Kyle Schwarber hit a lead-off home run in the first, launching the first pitch of the game into the Wrigley Field right field bleachers.  Bryce Harper added two runs with a two-run single in the third.

Featured Card:  Here's Harper's 1974 Topps inspired card from this year's Topps Heritage set.

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Game 74 - Phils Lose Ugly in Extra Innings

2023 Topps Heritage #305

Braves 5, Phillies 1 (10 Innings)
Game 74 - Thursday Night, June 22nd in Philadelphia
Record - 38-36, 3rd Place, 10 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  After nine scoreless innings, the Phillies lost ugly in 10 innings to the Braves, 5-1.

What It Means:  The Braves clearly came out on top in this quick two-game series, with the Phillies dropping both games and losing two games in the standings.  The Mets come to town on Friday night to kick off a weekend series.

What Happened:  Aaron Nola threw six scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out five.  Gregory Soto, Jose Alvarado and Craig Kimbrel handled the next three innings relatively easily.  Yunior Marte got the 10th and Michael Harris II quickly singled home ghost runner Sam Hilliard to give the Braves a 1-0 lead.  With runners on second and third and two outs, Austin Riley lofted a pop fly to left fielder Kyle Schwarber that Schwarber dropped as two more runs scored.  Marcell Ozuna then blasted a two-run home run to give the Braves a 5-0 lead.  As a result of the ghost runner and the booted fly ball by Schwarber, all five runs were unearned.  The Phillies offense had four hits all day, as Braves' starter Bryce Elder threw seven scoreless innings.

Featured Card/Transaction:  Following the game it was announced Dalton Guthrie (of) who had been designated for assignment, had been dealt to the Giants for cash considerations.  In 37 games with the Phillies between this and last season, Guthrie batted .244 with a home run and five RBIs.  He just recently appeared on his first mainstream Phillies baseball card in the 2023 Topps Heritage set and Topps oddly opted to list Guthrie as a third baseman on this card.  In 14 games last season, he played third once, second base once and right field 12 times.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 71 - Phils Outlast A's in 12 Innings

2023 Topps Heritage #264

Phillies 3, Athletics 2 (12 Innings)
Game 71 - Saturday Afternoon, June 17th in Oakland
Record - 37-34, 3rd Place, 8 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Christopher Sanchez and seven relievers held the A's down as the Phillies eventually prevailed on a 12th inning RBI single from Kyle Schwarber.

What It Means:  The Phillies have won five in a row, but so have the Braves, so no ground has been gained in the division.  A series sweep is possible with a win this afternoon.

What Happened:  Sanchez, making his second start of the season, went four shutout innings, striking out five.  He likely would have stayed in longer if not for a ball that hit off his hand to start the fourth.  The A's scored the first run of the game in the fifth when Carlos Perez homered off Matt Strahm, but the Phillies quickly came back with a run of their own in the top of the sixth when Bryson Stott singled home Trea Turner.  The score stayed tied until Stott hit a sacrifice fly in the 11th to score Alec Bohm.  Perez again came through for the A's in the bottom of the 11th with a double to tie it up again, 2-2.  In the top of the 12th, Cristian Pache scored on Schwarber's single and Jeff Hoffman pitched a perfect bottom of the 12th to notch his first save and secure the win.

Featured Card:  This card felt appropriate given Pache scored the winning run for the Phillies against his former team.  I'd hope to see some Pache Phillies cards in late season update sets.

Transactions:  Sanchez (lhp) and Yunior Marte (rhp) were recalled from the IronPigs.  Luis Ortiz (rhp) was optioned back down and Seranthony Dominguez (rhp) was placed on the Injured List with a left oblique strain.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist