Game 91 - Turner, Phils Slam Dodgers as Harper, Schwarber Return

2023 Topps Chrome Platinum
Anniversary #315

Phillies 10, Dodgers 1
Game 91 - Tuesday Night, July 9th in Philadelphia
Record - 59-32, 1st Place, 7 1/2 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Trea Turner stayed red hot, smashing a fourth inning grand slam, as the Phillies made it look easy against the first place Dodgers.

What It Means:  They'll try to keep it going tonight with All-Star snub Cristopher Sanchez on the mound for the Phillies.

What Happened:  Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber returned from the injured list sooner than expected, with Schwarber providing a two-run single in the second inning.  Rafael Marchan connected for three hits and raised his season average to an impressive .313.  Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh added solo home runs in the hit barrage against Dodgers' pitching.

Zack Wheeler earned the win, but left the game after five innings as a precaution with back tightness.  Wheeler, Aaron Nola and Ranger Suarez become the first pitching trio in franchise history to each have 10 wins before the All-Star break.  Wheeler struck out seven in his abbreviated outing.

Featured Card:  I'm happy to continue to feature Turner cards, and in 19 games since his return from the injured list he's batting .342 with four doubles, six home runs and 18 RBIs.  In the 33 games before he was injured, Turner batted .343 with ten doubles, a pair of home runs and nine RBIs.

Transaction:  Harper (1b) and Schwarber (dh) were activated from the injured list.  Kody Clemens (1b) was sent back down to Lehigh Valley and David Dahl (of) was designated for assignment.  The hope is that Dahl passes through waivers and goes back to the IronPigs.

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Dodgers at Phillies - July 9th to July 11th

1984 Topps #220

1984 Topps Traded #64T

Tuesday 6:40, Wednesday 7:05 and Thursday 6:05
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

At the Ballpark:  Tonight is Margaritaville Night and the first 2,000 fans to purchase a special theme ticket will receive a Phillies exclusive Hawaiian shirt.  Thursday is 1980s Retro Night with all kids receiving a Phillies mini bullpen cart.

Los Angeles Dodgers 55-36
1st Place in the N.L. West, 7 1/2 games ahead of the Padres

Dodgers Probables
Bobby Miller (1-1, 6.12)
Gavin Stone (9-2, 3.03)
Landon Knack (1-2, 2.86)

Dodgers Leaders
Average:  Shohei Ohtani - .314
Runs:  Shohei Ohtani - 72
Home Runs:  Shohei Ohtani - 28
RBIs:  Shohei Ohtani - 65
Stolen Bases:  Shohei Ohtani - 20

Wins:  Gavin Stone - 9
ERA:  Gavin Stone - 3.03
Strikeouts:  Tyler Glasnow - 143
Saves:  Evan Phillips - 14

Philadelphia Phillies 58-32
1st Place in the N.L. East, 8 games ahead of the Braves

Phillies Probables
Zack Wheeler (9-4, 2.74)
Cristopher Sanchez (6-4, 2.96)
Aaron Nola (10-4, 3.48)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Bryce Harper - .303
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 60
Home Runs:  Bryce Harper - 20
RBIs:  Alec Bohm - 70
Stolen Bases:  Bryson Stott - 21

Wins:  Aaron Nola and Ranger Suarez - 10
ERA:  Ranger Suarez - 2.58
Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 119
Saves:  Jose Alvarado - 13

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Game 90 - Mercado Roughed Up, Phillips Debuts

2024 Choice Lehigh Valley
IronPigs #24

Braves 6, Phillies 0
Game 90 - Sunday Afternoon, July 7th in Atlanta
Record - 58-32, 1st Place, 8 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Michael Mercado was roughed up and the Phillies offense was missing in this lifeless 6-0 loss to the Braves.

What It Means:  Not great, but the Phillies still hold an eight game lead in the division with the All-Star Break a week away.  After an off-day on Monday, they'll return home for a three-game series with the Dodgers and then three more games with the Athletics before the break.

What Happened:  Mercado was hit early and often and didn't escape the second inning.  He allowed three long home runs, five runs overall and three walks.  Reynaldo Lopez and three Braves' relievers baffled the Phillies' offense, allowing five hits, and leaving nine runners stranded.

Featured Card:  The sole bright spot in this game was the major league debut of Tyler Phillips, who pitched four solid innings, allowing a solo home run and striking out seven.  Phillips' seven strikeouts are the most by any Phillies pitcher in relief in a debut, breaking the record of six set by Bill Duggleby in 1901.  He struck out the side - Matt Olson, Marcell Ozuna and Travis d'Arnaud - in the bottom of the fifth, his first inning in the majors.  So far, his sole 2024 baseball card can be found in the IronPigs team set.

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Game 89 - Suarez Hit Hard in Loss

1956 Topps #296

Braves 5, Phillies 1
Game 89 - Saturday Night, July 6th in Atlanta
Record - 58-31, 1st Place, 9 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Ranger Suarez didn't have his All-Star stuff in this 5-1 loss to the Braves.

What It Means:  The Phillies will go for the series win this afternoon behind rookie Michael Mercado.

What Happened:  Suarez struggled through five innings, giving up five runs on six hits and a pair of walks.  He allowed a pair of home runs and saw his ERA increase from 2.27 to 2.58.  The Phillies offense seemed baffled by Braves' starter Spencer Schwellenbach, scattering seven hits over his six innings of work.  The only Philies run came in the third when Johan Rojas, Bryson Stott and Trea Turner connected for three singles in a row.

Featured Card:  The Phillies didn't give me anything to work with here, so I'll use this opportunity to plug one of my other blogs, focusing on every card in the 1956 Topps set.  I started by 1956 Topps blog in 2015, and it looks as if it will come to a close in 2025 when I plan to publish the 342nd and final posts.  It's been fun taking a look back at each of the cards in this iconic set over the past nine years, and I'll be honestly sad to see it end.  Once it does end though, I already have plans for kicking off a new blog, looking at every card in the 1955 Bowman set.  If things stay on schedule, a 1955 Bowman blog should debut at some point in late 2025.

I recently posted the card seen here for Andy Seminick, and you can quickly view a visual gallery of the Phillies 1956 Topps team set here.

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Game 88 - Turner Homers Twice as Nola Notches 100th Win

2024 Topps Big League
Good Vibrations #GV-16

Phillies 8, Braves 6
Game 88 - Friday Night, July 5th in Atlanta
Record - 58-30, 1st Place, 10 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Trea Turner had his second multi-home run game this week and Aaron Nola battled through six innings for his 100th career victory in this 8-6 win over the Braves.

What It Means:  The Phillies extended their lead in the division to 10 games, and they'll hope to make it a few more games this weekend.

What Happened:  Nola struck out eight but gave up home runs to Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies before yielding to the bullpen in the seventh.  Jose Alvarado gave up a three-run home run in the eighth to Marcell Ozuna, but Jeff Hoffman was perfect in the ninth, recording his eighth save.

Turner hit his first home run in the fourth inning, a two-run shot with Bryson Stott on base, making it 3-0 Phillies on top.  His second home run, also with Stott on board, gave the Phillies a 5-2 lead.  The Phillies scored three more runs in the seventh mostly due to hustle and sloppy play from the Braves defense.

Featured Card:  Nola hit a milestone with his 100th career win, but Turner paced the offense, going 2 for 5 with four RBIs.  The starting shortstop for the National League All-Stars raised his average to .341, and the vibrations right now are good.

Transaction:  Yunior Marte (rhp) was optioned to Lehigh Valley and Tyler Phillips (rhp) had his contract selected.  Phillips, from local high school Bishop Eustace, was drafted by the Rangers in 2015 and he's battled ever since to get to the majors.  To make room for Phillips on the 40-man roster, Luis F. Ortiz (rhp) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

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Phillies at Braves - July 5th to July 7th

1984 Topps #388

1984 Topps #391

Friday 7:20, Saturday 7:15, Sunday 1:35
Truist Park - Atlanta, GA

At the Ballpark:  There's a postgame fireworks show tonight, and the first 3,000 kids on Sunday will receive a Braves backpack.

Philadelphia Phillies 57-30
1st Place in the N.L. East, 9 games ahead of the Braves

Phillies Probables
Aaron Nola (9-4, 3.43)
Ranger Suarez (10-2, 2.27)
Michael Mercado (1-0, 1.50)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Bryce Harper - .303
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 60
Home Runs:  Bryce Harper - 20
RBIs:  Alec Bohm - 70
Stolen Bases:  Bryson Stott - 20

Wins:  Ranger Suarez - 10
ERA:  Ranger Suarez - 2.27
Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 119
Saves:  Jose Alvarado - 13

Atlanta Braves 47-38
2nd Place in the N.L. East, 9 games behind the Phillies

Braves Probables
Max Fried (7-3, 2.91)
Spencer Schwellenbach (1-4, 5.68)
Reynaldo Lopez (6-2, 1.83)

Braves Leaders
Average:  Marcell Ozuna - .296
Runs:  Marcell Ozuna - 49
Home Runs:  Marcell Ozuna - 21
RBIs:  Marcell Ozuna - 67
Stolen Bases:  Ronald Acuna - 16

Wins:  Chris Sale - 11
ERA:  Chris Sale - 2.71

Strikeouts:  Chris Sale - 127
Saves:  Railes Iglesias - 21

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Game 87 - Sanchez, Phils Suffer Off-Day in Loss to Cubs

2021 Topps Now Road to
Opening Day #OD-281

Cubs 10, Phillies 2
Game 87 - Tuesday Afternoon, July 4th in Chicago
Record - 57-30, 1st Place, 9 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  It wasn't Cristopher Sanchez's or the Phillies' offense days as the Cubs easily rolled to a 10-2 win.

What It Means:  The Phillies lost the game, but still won the series, and they head to Atlanta next to battle the second place Braves.  Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto are all progressing nicely on the comeback trail from their respective injuries.

What Happened:  Sanchez had his roughest outing of the year, fresh off winning June National League Pitcher of the Month honors.  He allowed seven runs on seven hits, while also walking three.  Seranthony Dominguez allowed a run over two innings of work, striking out five.  The Phillies held a 2-0 lead early following an RBI single by Brandon Marsh in the first, and a solo home run by Nick Castellanos in the fourth.

Featured Card:  Former Phillies Drew Smyly and Hector Neris pitched the final two innings for the Cubs.  Neris is in his first year with the Cubs after spending two years with the Astros, and winning a World Series ring in 2022.  Amazingly enough, Neris didn't appear on any baseball cards in 2023 and hasn't appear on any so far in 2024.  His entire baseball card output has been limited since he departed the Phillies.

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Game 86 - All-Stars Bohm and Turner Lead Phils to Win

2024 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards

Phillies 5, Cubs 3
Game 86 - Wednesday Night, July 3rd in Chicago
Record - 57-29, 1st Place, 9 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  All-Stars Trea Turner and Alec Bohm paced the Phillies' offense in this 5-3 win over the Cubs.

What It Means:  Prior to the game, the starters for the upcoming All-Star Game were announced.  Bryce Harper will be at first base (if he's healthy), with Turner at shortstop and Bohm at third base.  It's the first time the Phillies have had three infield starters in an All-Star Game since Pete Rose, Manny Trillo and Mike Schmidt in 1982.

What Happened:  Rafael Marchan hit a solo home run in the top of the third to the tie the game at 1-1.  With the Cubs holding a 2-1 lead in the sixth, Bohm homered to left center, scoring Turner who had singled to reach, and the Phillies were up, 3-2.  Matt Strahm replaced Zack Wheeler in the seventh and allowed the Cubs to tie up the game again.  In the eighth, Turner and Bohm started the inning with singles, with both advancing on a passed ball.  Edmundo Sosa brought Turner home with the go-ahed run with a sacrifice fly and Whit Merrifield added an insurance run with an RBI-single to center, scoring Bohm.

Jose Alvarado shut down the Cubs in the ninth for his 13th save.

Featured Card:  Here's Bohm's team-issued photo card from this year, which has only been made available on ALS Night held on June 2nd as a grab bag identifier for a signed ball.  In a recent conversation with a Phillies' sales representative, I was told the Phillies are no longer allowed to sell team-issued photo card sets because of their relatively new partnership with Fanatics/Topps.  The photo cards are still being produced, but not for sale, and are evidently used for promotional reasons only.

This is a huge bummer to me and many other lifelong Phillies photo card collectors.  The Phillies have produced these cards since the 1950s, and sold them in set form since the early 1980s.  I'm actively trying to add as many of these 2024 cards to my collection, while tracking the cards I have or that I've seen in the wild over at TCDB.com.

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Game 85 - Mercado Wins Debut, Turner Slams Two Home Runs

2024 Philadelphia Phillies
Kids Club

Phillies 6, Cubs 4
Game 85 - Tuesday Night, July 2nd in Chicago
Record - 56-29, 1st Place, 9 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Michael Mercado won his first big league start and Trea Turner hit two huge home runs as the Phillies took the series opener over the Cubs, 6-4.

What It Means:  Mercado became the first Phillies pitcher to record a win in his first major league start in Chicago since Aaron Nola did it on July 26, 2015.  Nola accomplished the feat the day after Cole Hamels pitched a no-hitter.

What Happened:  Mercado allowed a run on two hits over five innings, striking out four.  The bullpen largely did their jobs until Jose Ruiz gave up a three-run home run to Seiya Suzuki in the bottom of the ninth.  Jeff Hoffman had to come in, and he recorded his seventh save.

The Phillies took an early 2-0 lead when Garrett Stubbs doubled home Nick Castellanos and Kody Clemens in the second.  Turner hit his first home run in the top of the third, his fourth of the year, and added his fifth of the year in the fifth with a two-run home run that left Wrigley Field.  Turner added an insurance run in the seventh, singling home Bryson Stott.

Featured Card:  I'd love to give Mercado the card here, but given he really doesn't have many cards (yet) and Turner went 3 for 5 with four RBIs, I'll give it to Turner.  The shortstop could find out tonight he's in the starting line-up for the National League All-Stars.

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Phillies at Cubs - July 2nd to July 4th

1984 Topps #358

1984 Topps Traded #31T

Tuesday and Wednesday 8:05, Thursday 2:20
Wrigley Field - Chicago, IL

At the Ballpark:  On Wednesday, the first 10,000 fans will receive a Cubs grilling apron, and on Thursday, the first 10,000 fans will receive a "Red, White & Cubbie Blue" Hawaiian shirt.

Philadelphia Phillies 55-29
1st Place in the N.L. East, 8 games ahead of the Braves

Phillies Probables
Michael Mercado (0-0, 0.00)
Zack Wheeler (9-4, 2.73)
Cristopher Sanchez (6-3, 2.41)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Bryce Harper - .303
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 60
Home Runs:  Bryce Harper - 20
RBIs:  Alec Bohm - 68
Stolen Bases:  Bryson Stott - 20

Wins:  Ranger Suarez - 10
ERA:  Ranger Suarez - 2.27
Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 112
Saves:  Jose Alvarado - 12

Chicago Cubs 39-46
5th Place in the N.L. Central, 11 games behind the Brewers

Cubs Probables
Hayden Wesneski (2-4, 3.60)
Shota Imanaga (7-2, 3.07)
Jameson Taillon (4-4, 3.03)

Cubs Leaders
Average:  Cody Bellinger - .267
Runs:  Ian Happ - 43
Home Runs:  Christopher Morel - 15
RBIs:  Christopher Morel - 45
Stolen Bases:  Pete Crow-Armstrong - 15

Wins:  Shota Imanaga and Hector Neris - 7
ERA:  Shota Imanaga - 3.07

Strikeouts:  Shota Imanaga - 84
Saves:  Hector Neris - 11

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Game 84 - Turner Caps Come from Behind Victory

2024 Topps Covering the Field #CTF-25

Phillies 7, Marlins 6
Game 84 - Sunday Afternoon, June 30th in Philadelphia
Record - 55-29, 1st Place, 8 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Trailing 6-2 after 4 1/2 innings, the Phillies chipped away and eventually took the lead, winning 7-6 over the Marlins.

What It Means:  The Phillies earned a four-game series split and after an off-day on Monday, they'll open a three-game series against the Cubs in Chicago on Tuesday night.

What Happened:  Ranger Suarez had a rare bad outing, allowing six runs on nine hits and not striking out any Marlins batters over 4 2/3 innings.  The offense started chipping away at the Marlins' lead in the bottom of the fifth when back-to-back doubles from Brandon Marsh and Nick Castellanos made it a 6-3 ballgame.  Castellanos added an RBI-single in the sixth to pull the Phillies to within a run, and Trea Turner delivered a clutch, two-run single in the seventh to the give the Phillies a 7-6 lead.  Gregory Soto pitched a perfect eighth, and Jeff Hoffman threw a clean ninth to clinch his sixth save and give the Phils the win.

Alec Bohm hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first to give the Phillies a short-lived, 2-1 lead.

Featured Card:  Turner had the big hit in this game, and it came on his 31st birthday.  My Topps Series Two Phillies master set is still sitting on my project table, ready to be put away, and this Turner card was one of the many new inserts in the set.

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Game 83 - Punchless Phils Fall to Fish

1965 Topps #4

Marlins 3, Phillies 2
Game 83 - Saturday Afternoon, June 29th in Philadelphia
Record - 54-29, 1st Place, 8 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  A lack of offense doomed the Phillies in this 3-2 loss to the Marlins.

What It Means:  They'll try to tie up the series on Sunday afternoon, assuming the thunderstorms stay away long enough.

What Happened:  Garrett Stubbs caused some temporary excitement when his solo home run tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the third.  The Phillies took a 2-1 lead in the fifth on an Alec Bohm sacrifice fly.  In the top of the sixth, Aaron Nola was chased from the game on back-to-back doubles by Otto Lopez and Nick Fortes to tie the game.  Matt Strahm entered and gave up a single to Jazz Chisolm, scoring Fortess and giving the Marlins a 3-2 lead.  The Phillies' offense went down quietly over the final three innings.

Featured Card:  With no reason to feature a Phillies card for this game, I'll instead pay tribute to Orlando Cepeda, who passed away on Saturday.  Cepeda's passing comes 11 days after the death of his long-time teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Willie Mays.  This card is in my Phillies collection because of Johnny Callison, and it features both former Giants greats.

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Game 82 - Sanchez Shuts Out Fish

2024 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards

Phillies 2, Marlins 0
Game 82 - Friday Night, June 28th in Philadelphia
Record - 54-28, 1st Place, 8 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Cristopher Sanchez was masterful in his complete game shutout against the Marlins, and the Phillies manufactured a pair of runs to win, 2-0.

What It Means:  The Phillies can win the series with a victory either today or tomorrow.

What Happened:  Sanchez needed 101 pitches to complete his gem, and he scattered three singles throughout the game.  He struck out nine, one short of his previous career-best of 10.  The Phillies scored the only run they needed in the fifth when Whit Merrifield and Garrett Stubbs started the inning with back-to-back singles and Bryson Stott brought Merrifield home with a ground out.  In the eighth, Johan Rojas earned a hustle double, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Stott sacrifice fly.

Featured Card:  Here's perhaps one of Sanchez's rarest cards so far from 2024, his team-issued photo card which as far as I know were only set loose to the public on ALS Night, June 2nd.  The cards were included as identifiers within grab bags of signed memorabilia, and one of the bags we snagged had this card and a hat signed by Sanchez.  I'm attempting to build the checklist for the set over at the TCDB.  I'm also actively seeking these cards if you have any looking for a good home!

Transaction:  Bryce Harper (1b) and Kyle Schwarber (dh) were placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain and a left groin strain, respectively.  Kody Clemens (1b) was activated from the injured list and Rojas (of) was recalled from Lehigh Valley.

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Game 81 - Disaster Strikes as Phils Lose Game, Schwarber and Harper

2023 Topps Now #1030

Marlins 7, Phillies 4
Game 81 - Thursday Night, June 27th in Philadelphia
Record - 53-28, 1st Place, 8 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies suffered their worst defeat of the season, losing the game late to the Marlins and losing both Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper to injuries.

What It Means:  It's the official half-way point of the season, which seems appropriate given the Phillies hit a turning point with this game.  Schwarber was the first to go down, departing after the eighth inning with tightness in his left groin.  Harper was the final out of the ballgame, grounding out to second, and pulling a hamstring on his run to first base.  Both stars will miss at least a few weeks.

What Happened:  Zack Wheeler was cruising, holding a 3-0 lead with two outs in the seventh inning.  The Marlins took advantage of a wide strike zone, loading the bases on two singles and a hit by pitch.  With Matt Strahm taking over on the mound, Bryan De La Cruz laced a bases-clearing double to center to tie the score at 3-3.  A batter later, Josh Bell doubled home De La Cruz to give the Marlins the lead.  The Phillies would temporarily tie the game in the bottom of the seventh, but Jake Burger led off the eighth with a solo home run off Jeff Hoffman to give the Marlins the lead for good.

Featured Card:  Hopefully the rest of the Phillies line-up can keep things going with Realmuto, Schwarber and Harper now all out of the picture for a bit.

Transaction:  Spencer Turnbull was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right lat strain and Yunior Marte (rhp) was recalled from Lehigh Valley.

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Game 80 - Marsh Leads Phils Over Tigers

2024 Philadelphia Phillies
Kids Club

Phillies 6, Tigers 2
Game 80 - Wednesday Afternoon, June 26th in Philadelphia
Record - 53-27, 1st Place, 8 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Brandon Marsh collected four hits and had four RBIs and the bullpen managed the Tigers after Spencer Turnbull departed with an injury in this 6-2 win.

What It Means:  The Phillies returned home on Thursday night for a four-game weekend series with the Marlins.

What Happened:  Turnbull, reinstated into the starting pitching rotation following the injury to Taijuan Walker, had to leave after three innings with a right lat strain.  Six relievers held the Tigers at bay, with Jose Ruiz getting credited with the win.  Marsh hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead, and they wouldn't look back after that.  Marsh drove in two more runs in the fifth with a two-run single.  David Dahl plated one more run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly scoring Bryson Stott.

Featured Card:  Here's Marsh's Kids Club card, available throughout the season at the ballpark to Kids Club and Club 215 members.  This card is surprisingly similar to his Topps flagship card.

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Game 79 - Skubal Stifles Phils

2024 Topps Heritage #231

Tigers 4, Phillies 1
Game 79 - Tuesday Night, June 25th in Detroit
Record - 52-27, 1st Place, 7 1/2 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Tarik Skubal out-dueled Ranger Suarez as the Phillies fell to the Tigers, 4-1.

What It Means:  With the series tied up, the Phillies would look to take another series win on Wednesday afternoon.

What Happened:  Skubal allowed three hits and struck out seven in seven innings, departing with his team holding a 4-0 lead.  Suarez fell to 10-2 and saw his ERA creep over 2 (2.01) by allowing four runs on nine hits in six innings.  Bryce Harper hit a solo home run in the ninth, his 20th of the season.

Featured Card:  Phillies Room favorite Matt Vierling is batting lead-off and playing center field for the Tigers these days, and following this series he was batting .254 with 10 home runs and 32 RBIs.  Vierling has also made starts for the Tigers in left field, right field and third base.  This is his awesome, colorful 2024 Topps Heritage card.

Transaction:  Yunior Marte (rhp) was activated from the 15-day Injured List and optioned to Lehigh Valley.

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Game 78 - Nola Cruises, Harper and Bohm Homer in Win

2024 Topps #463

Phillies 8, Tigers 1
Game 78 - Monday Night, June 24th in Detroit
Record - 52-26, 1st Place, 8 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Aaron Nola cruised to his ninth victory behind the 15-hit onslaught from the Phillies offense in this 8-1 win.

What It Means:  We'll look back on this game as one of the better wins before a disastrous Thursday night pushed pause on the team's good vibes.

What Happened:  Nola pitched seven innings, allowing a run on six hits while striking out six.  Michael Mercado made his major league debut, pitching a perfect eighth inning.  Bryce Harper was 3 for 5 with five RBIs, including a three-run home run in the sixth inning.  Alec Bohm was 4 for 5 with three RBIs, including a two-run home run in the first.  Both Harper and Bohm should be heading to Arlington in a few weeks for the All-Star Game.

Featured Card:  The newest Nola card in my collection is from Topps Series Two.

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Marlins at Phillies - June 27th to June 30th

2024 Chachi Series Preview #3

2024 Chachi 1984 Topps Missing Links #10

Thursday and Friday 6:20, Saturday 4:05 and Sunday 1:35
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

At the Ballpark:  Tonight and tomorrow night are Fireworks nights, and the Phillies put on one of the most impressive fireworks displays in the area.  On Sunday, all kids will receive a Bryce Harper cooling headband.

Miami Marlins 28-52
5th Place in the N.L. East, 25 games behind the Phillies

Marlins Probables
Trevor Rogers (1-8, 4.90)
Kyle Tyler (0-0, 4.50)
Roddery Munoz (1-3, 5.80)
Yonny Chirinos (0-0, 2.70)

Marlins Leaders
Average:  Jazz Chisolm - .264
Runs:  Jazz Chisolm and Bryan De La Cruz - 35
Home Runs:  Bryan De La Cruz - 14
RBIs:  Jazz Chisolm - 37
Stolen Bases:  Jazz Chisolm - 14

Wins:  Tanner Scott - 6
ERA:  N/A

Strikeouts:  Ryan Weathers - 67
Saves:  Tanner Scott - 10

Philadelphia Phillies 53-27
1st Place in the N.L. East, 8 games ahead of the Braves

Phillies Probables
Zack Wheeler (9-4, 2.73)
Cristopher Sanchez (5-3, 2.67)
Aaron Nola (9-3, 3.39)
Ranger Suarez (10-2, 2.01)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Bryce Harper - .305
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 60
Home Runs:  Bryce Harper - 20
RBIs:  Alec Bohm - 64
Stolen Bases:  Bryson Stott - 20

Wins:  Ranger Suarez - 10
ERA:  Ranger Suarez - 2.01
Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 107
Saves:  Jose Alvarado - 12

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Phillies at Tigers - June 24th to June 26th

1984 Topps #199

1984 Topps #563

Monday and Tuesday 6:40, Wednesday 1:10
Comerica Park - Detroit, MI

At the Ballpark:  There's a special ticket package for Educator Appreciation Day on Monday night that comes with a Tigers quarter zip.

Philadelphia Phillies 51-26
1st Place in the N.L. East, 7 games ahead of the Braves

Phillies Probables
Aaron Nola (8-3, 3.54)
Ranger Suarez (10-1, 1.75)
Spencer Turnbull (3-0, 2.63)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Alec Bohm - .304
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 57
Home Runs:  Bryce Harper - 18
RBIs:  Alec Bohm - 61
Stolen Bases:  Bryson Stott - 18

Wins:  Ranger Suarez - 10
ERA:  Ranger Suarez - 1.75
Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 107
Saves:  Jose Alvarado - 12

Detroit Tigers 36-41
4th Place in the A.L. Central, 14 games behind the Guardians

Tigers Probables
Casey Mize (1-5, 4.43)
Tarik Skubal (8-3, 2.50)
Jack Flaherty (5-4, 2.92)

Tigers Leaders
Average:  Riley Greene - .261
Runs:  Riley Greene - 50
Home Runs:  Riley Greene - 15
RBIs:  Riley Greene - 40
Stolen Bases:  Javier Baez and Wenceel Perez - 6

Wins:  Tarik Skubal - 8
ERA:  Tarik Skubal - 2.50

Strikeouts:  Jack Flaherty - 108
Saves:  Jason Foley - 13

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Game 77 - Sanchez Tames Snakes

2024 Topps Philadelphia Phillies #PHI-9

Phillies 4, Diamondbacks 1
Game 77 - Sunday Morning, June 23rd in Philadelphia
Record - 51-26, 1st Place, 7 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Cristopher Sanchez shut down the Diamondbacks for seven innings and the offense came up with a few timely hits in this 4-1 win.

What It Means:  We're experiencing an intense heat wave in the area, and I can't imagine how hot it was at the Phillies games this weekend.  The Phillies pulled off the series win and head out on the road for a quick trip to Detroit next.

What Happened:  Sanchez improved to 5-3 and dropped his ERA to 2.67 in this outing, allowing three singles while striking out four.  The Phillies scored first in the second inning when Alec Bohm doubled and Nick Castellanos singled him home.  David Dahl delivered a two-run single in the sixth, and Bryson Stott singled home Bryce Harper in the seventh for an insurance run.  Harper had doubled to start the inning.

Featured Card:  Sanchez's baseball card appearances have been rare to date, and hopefully that changes soon.  The Phillies announced on Saturday a four-year contract extension with Sanchez with club options for 2029 and 2030.  The 27-year-old has gone from potential bullpen depth to a key cog of the Phillies' starting pitching rotation over the past year.  Here's his card from the Topps Phillies retail team set, somewhat of an oddity now as Sanchez wasn't included in the Topps flagship set this year.

Transaction:  The Phillies placed Taijuan Walker (rhp) on the 15-day Injured List with right index finger inflammation and recalled Michael Mercado (rhp) from the IronPigs.  Mercado was acquired from the Rays in early November for fellow minor-league pitcher Adam Leverett.

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