The Phillies will take their show on the road to iconic Wrigley Field and a three-game matchup with the Chicago Cubs. We are nearing the actual midpoint of the 2023 MLB season and the Phillies are looking to continue their June dominance. Entering play on Tuesday night the Phillies are 15-7 in June and find themselves 3 games out of the last wild card spot in the National League. The Cubs enter play Tuesday 37-39 and just 3 games out of the NL Central lead.
Tuesday
The Phillies are sending Ranger Suarez who has been lights out in his last 5 starts. For the Cubs Jameson Taillon gets the nod. Brandon Marsh homered twice and drove in three runs, helping the Phillies beat the Cubs 5-1 on Tuesday night for their second straight win. Phillies left-hander Ranger Suárez pitched a four-hit ball into the eighth inning in a game played in a strong smoky haze caused by Canadian wildfires. The teams were in contact with Major League Baseball and the Players’ Association about air quality throughout the afternoon.
Marsh hit a solo shot in the second and a two-run drive in the fifth in his second career multi-homer game. Trea Turner and Nick Castellanos each hit an RBI single for the Phillies, which won three of four. Chicago right-hander Jameson Taillon (2-6) was tagged for five runs and seven hits in five innings. He struck out eight and walked one.
Cody Bellinger and Nick Madrigal each had two hits for the Cubs in their return after splitting two games against St. Louis in London over the weekend. Suárez (2-2) was charged with one run and struck out eight in 7 1/3 innings. Suárez, who opened the season on the injured list with an elbow strain, has a 1.35 ERA in his last six outings. Nico Hoerner singled in Chicago’s lone run in the eighth off Greg Soto.
Kyle Schwarber doubled to the right-field corner on Taillon’s first pitch of the game and then scored on Turner’s single. Castellanos’ bloop RBI single made it 5-0 in the fifth. The Phillies have now run their winning streak to two and captured win 41 on their 78th game.
Wednesday
Nicky Bats homered, Edmundo Sosa and Josh Harrison also went deep, and the Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs 8-5 on Wednesday night.
Castellanos hit a three-run homer in the second off Drew Smyly (7-5) after Sosa launched a two-run shot earlier in the inning. Castellanos also hustled out an RBI double and scored in a two-run fourth. Harrison added a solo homer in the fifth off Hayden Wesneski to make it 8-2, helping Philadelphia overcome a shaky start by Aaron Nola (7-5) to win for the 17th time in 22 games. The Phillies also won their eighth straight road game, matching their longest streak since 2011.
Nola allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings, after going at least six innings in 13 straight starts. Chicago has lost three straight since winning nine of 10. Smyly lasted just 3 2/3 innings and matched season highs by allowing seven runs and nine hits. Jared Young hit his first career homer in his first at-bat this season when he connected in the third, and Dandy Swanson added a solo drive in the fifth. The Cubs are in jeopardy of getting swept by the Phillies.
Thursday
It seems very strange and wrong that the Phillies would not be given a day game at Wrigley Field. But that’s the deal for the Phillies this year. Thursday night the Phillies and Cubs closed out their three-game series and season series with each other.
Kyle Schwarber homered on the game’s first pitch, Taijuan Walker won his fifth straight start and the surging Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs 3-1 on Thursday night. Bryce Harper drove in two runs. Trea Turner had two hits and scored a run, helping the Phillies win for the 18th time in 23 games. The Phillies (43-37) were seven games under .500 prior to this run. They’ve won nine straight on the road, matching their best streak since May 1984.
Walker (9-3) went six innings, allowing one run and six hits while striking out six and walking one. The right-hander has a 0.84 ERA in his past five outings. Yunior Marte and Greg Soto each worked an inning before Craig Kimbrel came on in the ninth for his 12th save. The Phillies overcame two dropped fly balls in completing the three-game sweep.
The Phillies turned their fate against the Cubs completely around after going 0-6 against them in 2022. With the sweep of the Cubs, the Phillies finish their 2023 season series with the Cubs 5-1.
Matt Bednarczyk is your host of Talking Philly Sports With Matty B. He is a proud retired US Army Sergeant First Class, he is also a combat veteran with over 80 months served in Afganistan, and Iraq . Huge Hockey Fan. Matt is a lifelong 4 for 4 Philly sports fan. Born and raised on the Mayfair and Tacony neighborhood lines of Northeast Philly. He brings over 40 years of Philadelphia Sports passion and provides a realistic look at our Major Sports Teams and the most passionate sports fans on the planet. Look for his show live on Edge of Philly Sports.
