Fans cheer as Philadelphia Phillies short stop Edmundo Sosa (blurred in foreground) runs the bases after hitting his third home run of the game during the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
PHILADELPHIA — After a few “sloppy games” as manager Rob Thomson put it last night, the Philadelphia Phillies were playing a close, mostly clean game early in the night Wednesday against the Miami Marlins. Jesús Luzardo was cruising, Kyle Schwarber hit a home run to tie things at 1-1, and Phillies hitters were working on Marlins starter, Ryan Weathers’ pitch count.
Then the fourth inning happened. When it was all said and done, the score was 11-1, the Phillies clinched a first round bye in the National League, and there were franchise and personal records being set left and right.
Notes and Quotes from a wild night in South Philadelphia
Phillies offense explodes
11 runs on 12 hits and three walks typically means things were going well. but without watching the game or diving into the box score, you couldn’t predict this game.
Philadelphia set a new franchise record with eight home runs in the game. Kyle Schwarber hit two, no surprise there. How about THREE from Edmundo Sosa. Alec Bohm, Otto Kemp, and Bryson Stott each added one of their own to see the franchise record.
Despite the offensive explosion, manager Rob Thomson was still focused on the present:
“Well, I think any record is great and every record is meant to be broken,” he told reporters after the game when asked about the new franchise record eight home runs. “It came on a really important night. We secured the bye. It’s like winning a playoff series, really. But we still have more to do, you know. Milwaukee hasn’t been clinched yet, so we gotta keep playing. But yeah, it’s great.”
Tonight was the second time this season – and fifth ever – the Phillies hit seven or more long balls in a game. Let’s do rapid fire style notes for some of the performances tonight:
Philadelphia Phillies short stop Edmundo Sosa (33) celebrates in front of Miami Marlins catcher Agustn Ramrez (50) after hitting a three RBI home run during the fifth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Edmundo Sosa
3 HRs tonight – the first Phillies shortstop to do so in franchise history
1st multi-homer game in Sosa’s career
His .533 SLG against LHP would be 5th best in the NL, 18th best in MLB if he qualified
5 RBIs ties a career high
10th HR of the season, tying a career high
Sosa became the tenth Phillies hitter to record 10 or more homers this season, just the second time in franchise history they have done so (last in 2019). He is also the fifth Phillies infielder to reach the mark – the last time the Phillies had five infielders reach the mark was 2004 when Jim Thome, David Bell, Placido Polanco Chase Utley, and Jimmy Rollins all reached the milestone.
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber (12) reacts after hitting a home run against the Miami Marlins during the third inning at Citizens Bank Park. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Kyle Schwarber
2 HRs tonight – fifth time this season he’s had a multi-HR game
22nd time he’s done so as a Phillie, good for fourth all-time in franchise history
36th time in his career
Hit his 23rd HR off a left-handed pitcher – that’s the most by any left-handed hitter in a season in major league history
Reach 80 extra-base hits – the first Phillies hitter to do so since Ryan Howard, who hit 86 in 2009
He is now two HR away from tying Howard’s franchise record set in 2006
Schwarber, Kemp, Bohm, and Sosa all went yard in the seventh inning. It was the third time in franchise history they hit four or more homers in an inning and the first since 1985. They had two separate instances of back-to-back jacks in the frame.
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesus Luzardo (44) throws a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the fifth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Luzardo domiates
Luzardo starting the game almost as good as possible. Through two frames, he did allow one run – but he also struck out six hitters. He has done so TWICE now, this season – the only pitcher to do that in 2025. However, his pitch count was high – already at 42 pitches through the two innings. He would settle down and started getting some quick outs, but still managed to finish with 10 Ks on the day – his seventh outing with double-digit strikeouts on the season.
Luzardo recorded 10 strikeouts – 14th such a game of his career, 10th this season
Luzardo set a new career high in Ks with 216
He set a new career high in innings pitched (183 2/3) and tied his career high with 32 starts
2.8 walk-per-nine on the season is tied for 2nd lowest in his career
Partnered with no walks, he recorded his fourth 10 K – 0 BB game, bringing the Phillies’ team total to 14 such outings. That is double the next closest team (Detroit – 7). Thomson talked about his starter’s impressive performance:
” (He was) fantastic. He just keeps rolling along here, knock on wood, but the change-up was really effective tonight. Got two strikeouts in the first inning on 3-2 pitches, but the change-up, slider was good, (he) filled up the zone.” Thomson explained. He added, “he had 42 pitches after the second inning and he settled right in. He broke his career record for strikeouts and innings pitched and starts and that’s a really impressive regular season for him.”
Thomson would later add that when the fastball command is there, as it was after the first two frames, it changes who Luzardo is as a pitcher – but his off-speed stuff has been great for a while. Luzardo currently ranks tied for third in MLB in strikeouts.
I had to ask Topper something before things were all said and done at his postgame presser – how fun was tonight? I mean, first team ever to hit eight homers and have a 10 K, 0 BB outing from your starter in the same game – that has to be fun, right? He stayed focused.
“Yeah, it’s a complete game. I know we made a couple of errors, but they’re kind of tough plays. But it was a complete game and I like the way we played tonight ’cause I mentioned last night after the game, we’ve been a little bit sloppy and we need to clean it up, and I think we played really well tonight.”
Indeed you did, coach. Indeed you did.
Other Phillies notes
Bryson Stott’s home run in the fourth traveled 440 feet – the furthest HR of his career. It was also his first homer off a left-handed pitcher in a year and a half! His last was back on May 18, 2024 in a game against the Nationals.
Philly has a chance to set a new franchise record for series wins, if they can beat Miami tomorrow. They currently sit at 33 series victories. A win tomorrow ties it. If they then go on to beat the Twins, the 2025 club would stand alone at the top.
Kyle Schwarber is in striking distance for the Phillies franchise record for home runs in a single season. Both he and Thomson were asked after the game if they will go with rest or going for the record, how will they lean? Thomson said if there’s an opportunity, he would let his slugger go for it.
Rob Thomson is the fourth manager in MLB history to reach the postseason in each of his first four full seasons to begin a managerial career. He joins Dave Roberts, Aaron Boone, and Mike Matheny as the only managers to do so.
Tomorrow is the series finale against the Marlins. Walker Buehler (9-7, 5.13 ERA) will toe the rubber for Philly, opposed by Janson Junk (6-3, 4.27 ERA) for Miami. Game starts at 6:05 PM.