Phillies Pirates Recap

Stubbs crushes 3-run homer, Harper hits go-ahead home run in the 7th, Phillies keep on winning, 7-6 final

Against all odds, the Philadelphia Phillies won their seventh straight game last night 7-6 against the Pittsburgh Pirates the night after they punched their tickets to the postseason while clinching the No. 1 spot in the NL Wild Card. 

I think it’s safe to say that no one was expecting much from the Phillies last night. Once the “Hangover Lineup” was released with Ranger Suarez fulfilling the “day after starter” role for the second straight season, it seemed unlikely that much was going to happen last night at Citizens Bank Park. 

The game started out exactly a predicted. 

Suarez labored through 4.2 innings of work, allowing nine hits and six earned runs while walking two and striking out four. Again, this was expected and shouldn’t really hold any weight in what you should expect from the Phillies’ No. 3 starter in the postseason. If anything, we commend him for even taking the mound after pictures like the one below were circulating around the internet the night before. 

A New Phillies Tradition: Ranger Suarez pitching the day after clinching postseason

The Phillies fell behind 5-0 entering the bottom of the fourth inning before they finally got on the board thanks to a Rodolfo Castro fielders choice and a surprising 3-run home run from the “Vibe Leader” in the club house, Garrett Stubbs. 

In an ode to “old school baseball” when players were accustomed to drinking their faces off and partying excessively before taking the field, Stubbs crushed a home run to right field, scoring Jake Cave and Johan Rojas to cut the Phillies’ deficit to just one run. 

Perfect timing for Stubby’s first home run of the 2023 regular season. 

Garrett Stubbs 3-Run Home Run  

The Pirates immediately responded in the top of the fifth inning on a Jack Suwinski triple that scored Connor Joe to extend their lead to two runs.

The Fightins weren’t dead yet, as Edmundo Sosa answered the call in the bottom half of the inning with a solo home run followed by an RBI single from Cristian Pache. 

Edmundo Sosa Solo Home Run

With the game now tied at 6-6, Bryce Harper stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning and crushed a go-ahead solo home run to put the Phillies up 7-6 in the ball game. 

Bryce Harper Go Ahead Solo Home Run

That was all she wrote for the Pittsburgh Pirates as the Phillies secured their seventh straight win and improved to a season-high 20-games over the .500 mark on the year.   

As for the bullpen, they looked sharp last night in relief of Ranger Suarez

  • Seranthony Dominguez: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, BB, 2 K 
  • Orion Kerkering: 1.0 IP, H, 0 ER, BB, 2 K  
  • Dylan Covey: 1.0 IP, H, 0 ER, 2 K 
  • Gregory Soto: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K 

Red October is Coming

Let me just start off by saying that here at The Liberty Line, I could honestly care less who the Phillies play in the Wild Card round. Best of luck to any of these crumb teams coming into Citizens Bank Park and winning 2 of 3 games.

Phillies NL Wild Card

I also don’t really care about what happens with other teams setting up their playoff rotation. Again, good luck coming into the jungle and pitching in the cool October air while a sold out Citizens Bank Park reigns terror down to the baseball diamond.

We’re on a collision course with the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS. I’m not looking ahead too far but have no problem calling it like it is, ya know?

Zack Wheeler will make his final start of the regular season tonight in the series finale against the Pirates. The Phillies will be looking for the eighth straight and 90th win this season while sweeping Pittsburgh in the process.

Weekend series against the Mets and then Tuesday, Red October and the Wild Card returns to South Philadelphia. Cheers.

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