The Philadelphia Phillies have claimed the NL East title.
And their division victory was achieved dramatically.
In a contest against a potential playoff rival, characterized by multiple shifts in the lead, the Phillies overcame the Dodgers in a tense game in Los Angeles Monday night, securing a 6-5 victory in 10 innings.
The triumph confirmed that they would fend off the New York Mets to seize their second consecutive division championship. With 11 games left on their schedule, the Phillies, boasting a 90-51 record, possess a 12.5-game advantage over the Mets, who stand at 77-73.
The Phillies celebrated at Dodgers Stadium to commemorate their NL East triumph.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Explosive Hits, A Seesawing Nail-biter
Philadelphia commenced the scoring on Monday with a first-inning solo home run by Kyle Schwarber, marking his league-leading 53rd of the season in the NL. This placed him just one behind Mariners’ powerhouse Cal Raleigh for the overall MLB lead.
Subsequently, the game witnessed four lead changes and three deadlocks before the Phillies ultimately emerged victorious in extra innings.
A Max Muncy home run played a pivotal role in propelling the Dodgers to a 3-1 advantage, which they maintained until the seventh inning. At that juncture, a Bryson Stott RBI single and a Weston Wilson home run put the Phillies back in the lead, 4-3.
However, Mookie Betts promptly responded with a solo blast in the bottom of the seventh, leveling the score at 4-4.
The Phillies once again seized the lead with a solo Bryce Harper home run in the eighth inning.
The Dodgers retaliated with an Andy Pages solo shot in the bottom of the ninth, sending the game into extra innings.
The Phillies then reclaimed the lead in the top of the 10th with a sacrifice fly, establishing a 6-5 advantage.
Two walks then loaded the bases for the Dodgers in the bottom of the 10th with one out, placing pressure on reliever David Robertson and the Phillies defense.
But Robertson induced a popout from Miguel Rojas and a game-ending groundout from Muncy, securing Philadelphia’s position at the summit of the NL East.
The Phillies, undeniably, have already secured their place in the playoffs.
The Dodgers are virtually guaranteed to make the postseason, whether they sustain their two-game advantage over the Padres in the NL West or secure a wild-card berth, where they hold an 8.5-game lead for the final spot in the National League.
Regardless, count us in for more if this serves as a glimpse of what lies ahead in the postseason.
