The Philadelphia Phillies (70-50) came into Wednesday's game against the Miami Marins (45-76) needing a win to snap a four-game losing streak and to keep from being swept in this short two-game series. On the back of five extra-base hits, including a Kyle Schwarber grand slam, they got the win they were looking for by a score of 9-5.
Offense Wakes Up
The Phillies offense has struggled since the start of the second half. Entering Wednesday batting a combined .237/.300/.397, their .697 OPS falls well below their first half OPS of .756. Wednesday night's offense was reminiscent of the first half.
The offense started slow, with just a Bryce Harper double in the first inning, while being behind early 3-0. The second inning would show signs of life with a walk from Bryson Stott to lead off the inning, and a single from J.T. Realmuto .
Two more walks would come in the third inning, but only one run would come of those base runners. In the fourth inning, however, the floodgates would open.
Stott would lead off the inning with a single, followed by a Realmuto walk. Edmundo Sosa would ground into a fielder's choice, and Brandon Marsh would strike out, leaving runners at first and second with two outs.
Johan Rojas would load the bases with a five-pitch single to turn the lineup over to Kyle Schwarber. Schwarber would put the Phillies on top with a go-ahead grand slam, giving the Phillies a 6-5 lead, and a lead they would never give back up.
Three more runs would score for the Phillies in the bottom of the seventh, giving them a four-run cushion to ease the pressure on their bullpen.
Notable Stats
- Alec Bohm extended his on-base streak to 31 games with a single in the fifth inning, his 600th career base hit.
- Schwarber's grand slam was his 28th home run of the season. He has 78 RBI on the season, while primarily batting out of the leadoff spot.
- The Phillies offense went 5-for-14 with runners in scoring position Wednesday. They went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position on Tuesday.
- The Phillies combined to hit .382/.447/.588 on Wednesday.
WPA Leader of the Game
Wednesday's WPA leader of the game was designated hitter Kyle Schwarber. While his line on the surface may not look great, batting only 1-for-5 with one home run and three strikeouts, the one home run on his line came in grand fashion and brought the Phillies from down 5-2 to up 6-5.
It was a WPA swing of 41.9 percentage points and would prove to be the deciding factor in Wednesday's game. Schwarber would end the night with a WPA score of 36.1.
Next Up
Next up for the Phillies is the first of a four-game set with the Washington Nationals (55-66). The first pitch for Thursday's game is scheduled for 6:40 PM EST. The game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Philadelphia and MASN 2.
Phillies fans can listen to the game on 94 WIP or WTTM 1680.
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