Game 42 - Miscues, Lack of Clutch Hits Haunt Phils Again

1974 Topps Stamps

Giants 4, Phillies 3
Game 42 - Late Tuesday Night, May 16th in San Francisco
Record - 20-22, 3rd Place, 6 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Another costly infield misplay and a lack of clutch hitting from the Phillies line-up led to this 4-3 loss to the Giants.

What It Means:  The Phillies, who have suddenly lost three in a row, will try to avoid the sweep on Wednesday afternoon.

What Happened:  The Giants scored first off Zack Wheeler, plating a pair of runs in the third on RBI singles from Thairo Estrada and Michael Conforto.  Unable to get any runs across with runners in scoring position early in the game, Bryson Stott came through with an RBI single in the fourth, and Kody Clemens scored the tying run on a balk.  

In the bottom of the fourth, on what was incredibly ruled a double, first baseman Clemens lost a pop up in the lights and second baseman Stott had the ball pop out of his glove as he attempted a diving catch.  The Giants took the lead as Casey Schmitt scored all the way from first base, and that would pretty much be the ballgame.  Kyle Schwarber hit a solo home run in the ninth.  The Phillies were 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position, spoiling another decent outing form Wheeler.

Featured Card:  These games aren't giving me much to work with.  When Erich Uelmen (see below) makes his debut out of the Phillies bullpen, he'll be the seventh Phillies player in history with a surname beginning with the letter U.  He'll join Dutch Ulrich (1925-1927), Bob Uecker (1966-1967), Del Unser (1973-1974, 1979-1982), Tom Underwood (1974-1977), Ugueth Urbina (2005) and Chase Utley (2003-2015).

Transaction:  Bailey Falter (lhp), who has struggled so far in 2023, was optioned to Lehigh Valley and Uelmen (rhp) was recalled.  The Phillies have yet to make public who they plan to use as a fifth starter for the foreseeable future.

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

2023 Chachi #15 Zack Wheeler

#45

Zachary Harrison Wheeler
Starting Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  195
Opening Day Age:  32

Born:  May 30, 1990, Smyrna, GA
Acquired:  Signed by the Phillies as a free agent, December 9, 2019

Contract Status:  Signed through 2024
Major League Teams:  New York Mets 2013-2014, 2017-2019; Philadelphia Phillies 2020-2023

World Series Appearances:  Philadelphia Phillies 2022

Zack Wheeler is in the fourth year of the five-year contract he signed with the Phillies before the 2020 season.  An All-Star and a workhorse in 2021, Wheeler led the league in innings pitched (213 1/3), strikeouts (247), complete games (3) and shutouts (2), and finished as the Cy Young runner-up to Corbin Burnes.  He was 12-7 with a 2.82 during the 2022 season, going 1-3 with a 2.78 ERA in six starts during the postseason.

2020 Chachi #16

2021 Chachi #58

2022 Chachi Friendly Encounters #10

2022 Chachi #76

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  2009 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects Chrome Prospects #BDPP86
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (10):  2013-2022
Newest Card Added to My Phillies Collection:  2023 Topps Phillies #PHI-14
Total Cards in My Phillies Collection:  53 as of 5/15/23.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2020 Chachi New Additions #7
2020 Chachi Photo Cards #45
2020 Chachi #16
2021 Chachi Preview #6
2021 Chachi #15 
2021 Chachi #58 - All-Star 
2022 Chachi #18

2022 Chachi #76 - NLCS Game 1

2022 Chachi Friendly Encounters #10

2023 Chachi #15

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

2023 Chachi #14 Dalton Guthrie / 2023 Chachi #16 Bailey Falter

Game 41 - Phils Can't Overcome Brutal 2nd Inning in Loss

2020 Topps Heritage #641

Giants 6, Phillies 3
Game 41 - Late Monday Night, May 15th in San Francisco
Record - 20-21, Tied for 2nd Place, 6 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Another rough outing from Bailey Falter and a costly Bryson Stott error led to this 6-3 loss in San Francisco.

What It Means:  These two teams face off again late tonight, and maybe I'll make it through more than two innings.  (Or maybe not.)

What Happened:  Connor Brogdon served as an opener, but departed with the bases loaded and two outs in the first inning.  Falter entered and worked out of the jam, but then had a miserable second inning.  Six Giants runs crossed the plate after Stott missed a relay throw on what was a likely double play.  The big blow was a three-run home run by Michael Conforto.  Falter would settle down somewhat after that, but he's now 0-7 after allowing six runs (all unearned) on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings.  

Alec Bohm hit a two-run home run in the second, and added a sacrifice fly in the sixth to account for all three Phillies runs.  Overall, the Phillies offense was 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position.

Featured Card:  Jeff Hoffman pitched the final two innings for the Phillies, striking out four and needing just 26 pitches.  He has yet to allow a run in three Phillies outings.  After spending spring training with the Twins, he was released on March 28th, and signed a few days later with the Phillies.  Hoffman is a veteran of seven big league seasons, spending five years with the Rockies as a swing man.

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

2023 Chachi #14 Dalton Guthrie

#18

Dalton James Guthrie
Outfield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  160
Opening Day Age:  27

Born:  December 23, 1995, Sarasota, FL
Acquired:  Drafted by the Phillies in the 6th round of the 2017 amateur draft, June 13, 2017

Contract Status:  Arbitration eligible 2026
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Phillies 2022-2023

Dalton Guthrie appeared in 14 games last season for the National League Champions, added to the roster as a September call-up.  He was included on the active roster for the NLDS and NLCS, getting one at-bat against the Braves in the NLDS.  Guthrie was on the bench during the World Series, but not on the active roster.  He'd make the club out of spring training in 2023, but was optioned down to Lehigh Valley after one game following the acquisition of Cristian Pache from the Athletics.  When Pache went down with a knee injury in late April, Guthrie returned and he's appeared in seven games for the Phillies so far this season as of this writing.

He collected his first big league home run on September 20, 2022 in a slugfest against the Blue Jays, hitting a solo shot of Ross Stripling to lead off the bottom of the fifth.

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  N/A
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A
Newest Card Added to My Phillies Collection:  2023 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #10
Total Cards in My Phillies Collection:  7 as of 5/14/23.

Complete Chachi Checklist

2022 Chachi #66

2023 Chachi #14

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

2023 Chachi #13 Edmundo Sosa / 2023 Chachi #15 Zack Wheeler

Phillies at Giants: May 15th to May 17th

1965 Topps #555

1965 Topps #531

Monday and Tuesday 9:45, Wednesday 3:45
Oracle Park - San Francisco, CA

At the Ballpark:  There are just a few theme night for this series and otherwise no giveaways, at one of the best big league ballparks.

Phillies 20-20
2nd Place in the N.L. East, 5 games behind the Braves

Phillies Probables
Connor Brogdon (2-0, 2.61)
Zack Wheeler (3-2, 3.80)
Taijuan Walker (3-2, 5.75)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Nick Castellanos - .316
Runs:  Nick Castellanos - 30
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 9
RBIs:  Alec Bohm - 28
Stolen Bases:  Three tied with - 5

Wins:  Four tied with - 3
ERA:  Zack Wheeler - 3.80

Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 53
Saves:  Jose Alvarado - 5

Giants 17-23
4th Place in the N.L. West, 8 1/2 games behind the Dodgers

Giants Probables
Alex Wood (0-0, 2.45)
Alex Cobb (3-1, 1.70)
Sean Manaea (1-2, 7.96)

Giants Leaders
Average:  Thairo Estrada - .314
Runs:  Thairo Estrada - 26
Home Runs:  Three tied with - 7
RBIs:  J.D. Davis - 22
Stolen Bases:  Thairo Estrada - 11

Wins:  Three tied with - 3
ERA:  Alex Cobb - 1.70

Strikeouts:  Logan Webb - 58
Saves:  Camilo Doval - 8

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

Game 40 - Benches Clear, Phils Fall Short on Mother's Day

2022 Topps x Lauren Taylor #3

Rockies 4, Phillies 0
Game 40 - Sunday Afternoon, May 14th in Denver
Record - 20-20, 2nd Place, 5 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies offense went 0 for 14 with runners in scoring position, as three Rockies' pitchers combined for the 4-0 shutout.

What It Means:  The Phillies still won the series, and they'll start some late night baseball in San Francisco on Monday.

What Happened:   As has become tradition, both teams sported pink accents and equipment in celebration of Mother's Day.  Aaron Nola had a decent outing,  allowing two runs in the first and two more runs in the fifth.  A costly error from Trea Turner in the first indirectly led to a pair of Rockies runs.  The offense just couldn't get it going, battling both the Rockies and a questionable strike zone from the home plate umpire.  After Kyle Schwarber was called out on strikes in the sixth, Rob Thomson had finally seen enough and was ejected.

Featured Card:  In the seventh, Rockies' reliever Jake Bird walked the first two Phillies, but Edmundo Sosa grounded into a double play and Bryson Stott flied out to end the threat.  As Bird was leaving the mound, he yelled mockingly towards the Phillies dugout, clapping on his way off the field.  Bryce Harper didn't care for that, charging Bird and resulting in both benches emptying.  I have to admit, I love what Harper did here although I would have preferred he not get ejected.  Let's see if this moment leads to more winning as it seemed to be another moment when this team came together for a common cause, despite the loss.

This card seemed appropriate, and it's from the 40-card 2022 Topps x Lauren Taylor online exclusive set, featuring the work of artist Taylor.

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

Game 39 - Phils Offense Supports Ranger's Return

2023 Topps Phillies #PHI-7

Phillies 7, Rockies 4
Game 39 - Saturday Night, May 13th in Denver
Record - 20-19, 2nd Place, 5 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Ranger Suarez made his 2023 season debut, and the Phillies offense collected 11 hits in this 7-4 win in Denver.

What It Means:  The Phillies won their fifth in a row, and would go for a series sweep on Sunday afternoon.  (Spoiler alert - it wouldn't work out.)

What Happened:  Suarez had been sidelined since March with left forearm tightness, ending his brief time with Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic.  He went four innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk, while striking out four.  Connor Brogdon would pick up the win with two scoreless innings of relief.

The Phillies scored four times in the first inning with RBI singles from Nick Castellenos and Alec Bohm leading the way.  Garrett Stubbs would add an RBI-single in the seventh and Bryce Harper capped the night with a two-run home run in the ninth.

There was an incredibly scary moment in the second when Castellanos lined a ball off the side of Rockies' starting pitcher Ryan Feltner's head.  Feltner left the game for the hospital and it was reported on Sunday morning the pitcher had suffered a fractured skull.

Featured Card:  I'm slowly posting all cards from the Topps Phillies retail team set, and here's the card for Suarez, which will likely mirror his card to be released in Topps Series Two.

Transaction:  Suarez (lhp) was activated from the Injured List and Luis Ortiz (rhp) was optioned back to Lehigh Valley.

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

Game 38 - Harper's 300th Career Double Leads to Win

2023 Topps 1988 Topps
35th Anniversary #T88-52

Phillies 6, Rockies 3
Game 38 - Friday Night, May 12th in Denver
Record - 19-19, 2nd Place, 6 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  With the score tied 3-3 in the eighth, Bryce Harper hit a two-run double to give the Phillies a 5-3 lead and an eventual victory.

What It Means:  The Phillies will need to continue to win to secure a playoff spot, but this win put them into sole possession of second place for the first time all season.

What Happened:  This was a great start to a tough six-game road trip.  There was little offense from either side until the Rockies broke through in the sixth inning with a run scoring on a C.J. Cron sacrifice fly.  The Phillies took a 3-1 lead in the top of the seventh when Alec Bohm hit a solo home run, followed by a two-run home run from the scuffling Kyle Schwarber to tie up the game.  Taijuan Walker had been fantastic through six innings, departing in the bottom of the seventh after putting two men aboard who would score after Matt Strahm had entered the game.

Harper's double in the eighth scored Bohm and Trea Turner, and was the 300th of the future Hall of Famer's career.  He'd go on to steal third and come home on a throwing error from Rockies' catcher Elias Diaz for an insurance run.

Featured Card:  I have so many Harper baseball cards, and I'd be fine featuring them in as many games as possible throughout the rest of the season.  This is an insert from 2023 Topps Series One, paying tribute to the 35th anniversary of the 1988 Topps design.

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

2023 Chachi #13 Edmundo Sosa

#33

Edmundo Israel Sosa
Infield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  210
Opening Day Age:  27

Born:  March 6, 1996, Panama, Panama
Acquired:  Traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Phillies for JoJo Romero, July 30, 2022

Contract Status:  Arbitration eligible 2024
Major League Teams:  St. Louis Cardinals 2018-2019, 2021-2022; Philadelphia Phillies 2022-2023

World Series Appearances:  Philadelphia Phillies 2022

We learned last summer the Phillies had traded the somewhat popular reliever JoJo Romero to the Cardinals as Doug was getting ready to play a travel baseball game on a Saturday afternoon in late July.  I had heard of the return in the deal, Edmundo Sosa, only peripherally and from what I could gather the Phillies had acquired Sosa to fill a backup infielder role.  He'd essentially take Odubel Herrera's spot on the bench, as Herrera was designated for assignment a few days after Sosa joined the club.  Originally wearing #30, but switching to #33 when David Robertson was acquired on August 2nd, Sosa was invaluable for the Phillies over the final months of the season and during the postseason.  Playing third base, shortstop and left field, Sosa batted .315 and provided steady defense.

With Rhys Hoskins' season-ending injury at the end of spring training in 2023, Sosa was pressed into a semi-regular starting role, seeing regular time at third base with Alec Bohm shifting to first.

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  2014 Bowman Draft Scouts Breakout #BSB-ES
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (1):  2022
Newest Card Added to My Phillies Collection:  2022 Topps Now Postseason Bonus #PSB-05
Total Cards in My Phillies Collection:  6 as of 5/12/23.

Complete Chachi Checklist

2022 Chachi #56

2022 Chachi #88 - World Series Game 6

2023 Chachi #13

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

2023 Chachi #12 Josh Harrison / 2023 Chachi #14 Dalton Guthrie

Phillies at Rockies: May 12th to May 14th

2014 Topps Heritage #48

2023 Chachi Series Previews #1

Friday 8:40, Saturday 8:10 and Sunday 3:10
Coors Field - Denver, CO

At the Ballpark:  The Rockies are hosting Healthcare Appreciation and Teacher Appreciation Homesteads, with special theme tickets available.  They'll wear their City Connect uniforms on Saturday night.

(I noticed too late I had inadvertently misspelled Pat Neshek's name on the card above, so this should be considered an unfortunate uncorrected error.)

Phillies 18-19
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 7 games behind the Braves

Phillies Probables
Taijuan Walker (3-2, 5.97)
Ranger Suarez (0-0, 0.00)
Aaron Nola (3-2, 4.44)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Nick Castellanos - .322
Runs:  Nick Castellanos - 28
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 8
RBIs:  Alec Bohm - 25
Stolen Bases:  J.T. Realmuto - 5

Wins:  Three tied with - 3
ERA:  Zack Wheeler - 3.80

Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 53
Saves:  Jose Alvarado - 5

Rockies 16-22
5th Place in the N.L. West, 7 games behind the Dodgers

Rockies Probables
Austin Gomber (3-4, 6.75)
Ryan Feltner (2-2, 5.08)
Kyle Freeland (3-4, 3.57)

Rockies Leaders
Average:  Elias Diaz - .333
Runs:  Ezequiel Tovar - 18
Home Runs:  C.J. Cron - 6
RBIs:  Elias Diaz - 18
Stolen Bases:  Brenton Doyle - 5

Wins:  Kyle Freeland and Austin Gomber - 3
ERA:  Kyle Freeland - 3.57
Strikeouts:  Ryan Feltner - 33
Saves:  Pierce Johnson - 6

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

Game 37 - A Win is a Win; Phils Walk-Off on Jays' E6

2023 Topps Phillies #PHI-14

Phillies 2, Blue Jays 1 (10 Innings)
Game 37 - Wednesday Afternoon, May 10th in Philadelphia
Record - 18-19, Tied for 3rd Place, 7 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies stole this win thanks to a timely ninth inning double from J.T. Realmuto and a 10th inning throwing error from Blue Jays' shortstop Bo Bichette.

What It Means:  That's a two-game sweep against the Blue Jays, heading into another off day on Thursday.  The Phillies travel west for six games with the Rockies and Giants beginning on Friday night.

What Happened:  Zack Wheeler pitched a gem, allowing a solo home run to Brandon Belt in the fifth inning.  It was one of only three hits allowed by Wheeler, and he struck out seven.  In the ninth, Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos started the inning with singles.  After Kyle Schwarber struck out swinging, J.T. Realmuto doubled home Harper with the tying run.

In the 10th, with Edmundo Sosa stationed at second as the ghost runner, Bryson Stott stuck out and Trea Turner walked.  Bryce Harper grounded into what should have been an inning-ending double play, but Bichette threw the ball wide of first, allowing Sosa to score the winning run.

Featured Card:  I'll keep going with cards from the recently released Topps Phillies retail team set, featuring Wheeler's card here.

Transaction:  In a troubling developing, the Phillies place Jose Alvarado (lhp) on the Injured List with left elbow inflammation and activated Andrew Bellati (rhp) from the Injured List.

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

Game 36 - Phils Don't Let Up in Win Against Jays

2023 Topps Phillies #PHI-13

Phillies 8, Blue Jays 4
Game 36 - Tuesday Night, May 9th in Philadelphia
Record - 17-19, Tied for 3rd Place, 8 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies kept adding runs throughout this game to beat the Blue Jays, 8-4.

What It Means:  That's a two-game winning streak, and a sign of good things.

What Happened:  The Phillies trailed only once in this game, falling behind 1-0 when Aaron Nola surrendered a two-run double to Bo Bichette in the third.  Nick Castellanos put the Phillies ahead for good with a two-run home run in the fourth, his fifth of the year.  Fortunately, the runs kept coming with Trea Turner singling home Brandon Marsh in the fifth, J.T. Realmuto adding a sacrifice fly in the sixth and Edmundo Sosa singling home Alec Bohm in the sixth.  Three more runs scored in the eighth, with a two-run double from Marsh the key blow.

Nola secured the win with six solid innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out six.  It wasn't a save situation, but Craig Kimbrel pitched a perfect ninth.

Featured Card:  Castellanos was 3 for 4 in this game with two runs scored and two RBIs.  Here's his card from the Topps Phillies retail team set, a preview of what his Series Two card will likely be.

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

Blue Jays at Phillies: May 9th to May 10th

2014 Topps Heritage #345

2014 Topps Heritage #17

Tuesday 6:40 and Wednesday 4:05
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

At the Ballpark:  It's yet another Dollar Dog Night on Tuesday.

Blue Jays 21-14
3rd Place in the A.L. East, 7 games behind the Rays

Blue Jays Probables
Alek Manoah (1-2, 4.71)
Kevin Gausman (2-3, 3.86)

Blue Jays Leaders
Average:  Matt Chapman - .349
Runs:  Bo Bichette - 25
Home Runs:  Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero - 7
RBIs:  Bo Bichette - 22
Stolen Bases:  Whit Merrifield - 7

Wins:  Yusei Kikuchi - 5
ERA:  Yusei Kikuchi - 3.35
Strikeouts:  Kevin Gausman - 58
Saves:  Jordan Romano - 9

Phillies 16-19
4th Place in the N.L. East, 8 games behind the Braves

Phillies Probables
Aaron Nola (2-2, 4.64)
Zack Wheeler (3-2, 4.26)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Brandon Marsh - .314
Runs:  Nick Castellanos - 26
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 8
RBIs:  Alec Bohm - 25
Stolen Bases:  J.T. Realmuto - 5

Wins:  Taijuan Walker and Zack Wheeler - 3
ERA:  Zack Wheeler - 4.26

Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 46
Saves:  Jose Alvarado - 5

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

Game 35 - Walker and Schwarber Emerge from Slumps in Big Win

2023 Topps Phillies #PHI-15

Phillies 6, Red Sox 1
Game 35 - Sunday Afternoon, May 7th in Philadelphia
Record - 16-19, 4th Place, 8 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Taijuan Walker and Kyle Schwarber emerged from lengthy slumps to help lead the Phillies to this 6-1 win over the Red Sox.

What It Means:  It's a weird schedule this week with off days Monday and Thursday, and a quick two-game series against the Blue Jays in between.

What Happened:  Walker went six strong innings, allowing just a run (a solo home run) and three hits.  He walked none while striking out six, which was a great sign.  Jose Alvarado and Matt Strahm went the final three innings, with starter turned reliever Strahm picking up his first save with the Phillies.  

Kyle Schwarber, who had been mired in an awful slump, went 2 for 3 with an RBI single in the fourth and a mammoth, two-run home run to right in the sixth.  J.T. Realmuto also had a pair of hits and two RBIs.

Featured Card:  This is Schwarber's card from the Topps Phillies team set, now available for sale at the ballpark.  It's a preview of what his card from Series Two will likely look like.

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

2023 Chachi #12 Josh Harrison

#2

Joshua Isaiah Harrison
Infield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'8"  Weight:  190
Opening Day Age:  35

Born:  July 8, 1987, Cincinnati, OH
Acquired:  Signed as a free agent with the Phillies, January 30, 2023

Contract Status:  Signed through 2023
Major League Teams:  Pittsburgh Pirates 2011-2018; Detroit Tigers 2019; Washington Nationals 2020-2021; Oakland Athletics 2021; Chicago White Sox 2022; Philadelphia Phillies 2023

This marks the 13th year for Josh Harrison in the major leagues, and he spent his first eight seasons with the Pirates.  To date, he's played every position except catcher, with most of his playing time coming at second or third base.  An All-Star with the Pirates in 2014 and 2017, Harrison finally joined the Phillies in 2023 after a false start in 2020.  He likely should have been added to the roster during that pandemic-shortened season, but the Phillies opted to go with players earning less, keeping them under the salary cap.

Because he spent spring training (or summer camp) with the Phillies in 2020, he appeared two late season Topps releases with the club - Topps Update and Topps Heritage High Numbers.

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  2010 Topps Pro Debut #207
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (11):  2012-2022
Newest Card Added to My Phillies Collection:  2020 Topps Heritage High Numbers #589
Total Cards in My Phillies Collection:  2 as of 5/7/23.

Complete Chachi Checklist

2020 Chachi Almost #8

2023 Chachi #12

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

2023 Chachi #11 Garrett Stubbs / 2023 Chachi #13 Edmundo Sosa

Game 34 - Falter Falters Against Sox; Losing Streak Hits 6 Games

2023 Topps Phillies #PHI-8

Red Sox 7, Phillies 4
Game 34 - Saturday Night, May 6th in Philadelphia
Record - 15-19, 4th Place, 8 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The backwards slide continued as Bailey Falter and the Phillies couldn't overcome the surging Sox, losing 7-4.

What It Means:  The losing streak is at six, and the Phils will try to avoid a series sweep behind Taijuan Walker this afternoon.

What Happened:  Falter dropped to 0-6.  He was perfect through the first three innings, setting done nine Red Sox batters in order.  The wheels completely fell off in the fourth, as Falter allowed five runs to score and departed the game.  Bryce Harper connected for his first home run of 2023 in the fifth inning, and Trea Turner hit his fourth home run in the seventh.  Leadoff batter Kyle Schwarber saw his average drop to .176 after an 0 for 5 outing.

Featured Card:  The 17-card Topps Phillies team sets are out, and this set is once again a nice complement to the regular Topps flagship release.  The sets serve as previews to cards we'll eventually see in Series Two, or contain cards that may never make it to the main flagship release.  This Falter card may or may not appear in Series Two, but it's nice to have a standard mainstream Phillies baseball card for the pitcher, even though he's struggling right now.  Topps has released these sets every years since 2006, skipping 2021 as the world (and the baseball card market) recovered from the pandemic.

Field Report:  Doug and I made it through the seventh inning of this game before opting to beat the traffic and head home.  We enjoyed Bull's BBQ for dinner, picked up the aforementioned Topps Phillies team set, and added a few more Phillies Kids Club cards to Doug's brother Ben's set.  The Bull's BBQ, the sights and the company were excellent, the game not so much.

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

Game 33 - Losing Streak Reaches Five Game

2023 Phillies Kids Club

Red Sox 5, Phillies 3
Game 33 - Friday Night, May 5th in Philadelphia
Record - 15-18, 4th Place, 7 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Zack Wheeler couldn't halt the losing streak and the Phillies' offense continued  its absence in this 5-3 series opening loss against the Red Sox.

What It Means:  The Phillies are in the midst of a bad stretch, having lost their fifth in a row.  They've been outscored 45-17, with their starting pitchers during the span putting together a 9.53 ERA.

What Happened:  The first run of the game scored off Wheeler after Kyle Schwarber dropped a Raimel Tapia fly ball in left field to start the game.  Tapia would could around to score later in the inning.  Wheeler would allow two more runs in the third and be charged with two runs in the sixth.  The Phillies bunched all their runs in the fourth inning.  Bryce Harper, making his 2023 home debut, singled to start the inning and scored on a Nick Castellanos double.  J.T. Realmuto tripled to bring Castellanos home, and Alec Bohm singled home Realmuto.

In the ninth, the Phillies put two runners on against closer Kenley Jansen with one out.  Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner struck out swinging, stranding the runners and adding a game to the losing streak.

Featured Card:  I signed our youngest son Ben up for the Phillies Kids Club, solely interested in the team-issued cards made available for young fans attending games.  Ben picked up this Harper card, which is one of 12 and features a Phillies Kids Club logo on the back.  We'll do our best to get the remaining 11 cards throughout the rest of the season.

Field Report:  We were there for a work event, having procured Suite 5.  Doug and I were late arrivals as his high school game went about 90 minutes too long.

Transactions:  On Thursday, the Phillies optioned Yunior Marte (rhp) to Lehigh Valley and selected the contract of Jeff Hoffman (rhp).  James McArthur (rhp) was designated for assignment to make room for Hoffman on the 40-man roster.  Also, Nick Nelson (rhp) was activated and optioned to Double-A Reading where he'll be stretched out as a starting pitcher.

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Red Sox at Phillies: May 5th to May 7th

2014 Topps Heritage #293

2014 Topps Heritage #373

Friday 7:05, Saturday 7:15 and Sunday 1:35
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

At the Ballpark:  Tonight is Teacher Appreciation Night at the Ballpark, and Sunday is Mother's Appreciation Day.  All women 15 and over will receive a Phillies ladies crossbody bag.

Red Sox 18-14
4th Place in the A.L. East, 8 games behind the Rays

Red Sox Probables
Chris Sale (2-2, 6.75)
Corey Kluber (1-4, 6.44)
Tanner Houck (3-1, 5.34)

Red Sox Leaders
Average:  Masataka Yoshida - .320
Runs:  Alex Verdugo - 26
Home Runs:  Rafael Devers - 10
RBIs:  Rafael Devers - 29
Stolen Bases:  Jarren Duran - 4

Wins:  Tanner Houck - 3
ERA:  N/A
Strikeouts:  Chris Sale - 35
Saves:  Kenley Jansen - 6

Phillies 15-17
4th Place in the N.L. East, 7 games behind the Braves

Phillies Probables
Zack Wheeler (3-1, 3.86)
Bailey Falter (0-5, 5.01)
Taijuan Walker (2-2, 6.91)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Brandon Marsh - .326
Runs:  Nick Castellanos - 24
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 7
RBIs:  Alec Bohm - 23
Stolen Bases:  J.T. Realmuto - 5

Wins:  Zack Wheeler - 3
ERA:  Zack Wheeler - 3.86

Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 41
Saves:  Jose Alvarado - 5

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Game 32 - Phils Slammed & Swept Out of L.A.

1983 Kellogg's #58

Dodgers 10, Phillies 6
Game 32 - Wednesday Afternoon, May 3rd in Los Angeles
Record - 15-17, 4th Place, 6 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Max Muncy hit a walk-off, game-winning grand slam off Craig Kimbrel to give the Dodgers the win and the series sweep.

What It Means:  This was an ugly series, and an ugly way to start the month.  The Phillies come home on Friday for a weekend series against the Red Sox.

What Happened:  Our oldest son Doug's high school baseball game also started at 4pm, so we thankfully missed almost this entire Phillies game.  By the time I tuned in, the Phillies were holding on to a 5-4 lead, and at one point had led 5-0.  Bryson Stott had a sacrifice fly in the first, and four runs scored in the third on hits from Nick Castellanos, Alec Bohm, Edmundo Sosa and Garrett Stubbs.  But Aaron Nola let the Dodgers creep back into the game, and his final line showed four runs allowed on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Jose Alvarado came on in the eighth to try to hold off the Dodgers, and he couldn't do it.  With runners on second and third and two outs, Austin Barnes lined what should have been the third out of the inning to Sosa, but Sosa completely missed it as it fell into left field.  Two runs scored, giving the Dodgers a 6-5 lead.  The Phillies would tie it up in the ninth on a Bryson Stott single, but Kimbrel could only retire one batter in the ninth before Muncy's game-winning slam.

Featured Card:  This game gave me nothing, so here's a favorite card of mine from my 1983 Phillies binder.  I've worked my way through my Phillies cards from the 1970s for my TCDB.com collection, and I'm through 1982 as I dive into the 1980s.  In happier times, the Phillies defeated the Dodgers in four games in the 1983 NLCS.

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Game 31 - Phils Lose Ugly in Bryce's Return

2023 Topps Big League
Big Leaguers #BL-14

Dodgers 13, Phillies 1
Game 31 - Late Tuesday Night, May 2nd in Los Angeles
Record - 15-16, 4th Place, 5 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The good vibes brought on by the return of Bryce Harper were quickly dispelled once the actual game started.

What It Means:  This is the second late night, ugly loss in a row to the Dodgers, with utility player Kody Clemens again getting a call from the bullpen.  The Phillies will attempt to avoid the sweep on Wednesday afternoon.

What Happened:  Harper was in the line-up following his November Tommy John surgery, which is quite the medical feat.  He went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts and understandably looked rusty.  Trea Turner hit a solo home run for the Phillies in the fourth, one of only two hits by the Phillies offense all night.  Matt Strahm's impressive run ended as the pitcher was charged six hits and four runs over 3 1/3 innings pitched.  Gregory Soto (5.40 ERA) and Yunior Marte (18.00 ERA) each gave up four runs late in the game, resulting in Clemens' repeat appearance.

Featured Card:  I'm excited about Harper's return, and hopeful it will be enough to turn the Phillies around.  This is his awkwardly named card from the 2023 Topps Big League Big Leaguers insert set, reminiscent of the Topps Kids sets from the 1990s.

Transaction:  Harper (dh) was activated from the 10-day Injured List and Jake Cave (of) was optioned to Lehigh Valley.

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