PHILADELPHIA – Vibes are high in Citizens Bank Park this August, as the Phillies have seemingly caught fire in the hot summer sun and are barreling the ball into the stands.
If you’re discussing teams that have represented the long ball this season, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays, and fellow NL East Rival, Atlanta Braves, are most likely some that come to mind. Well, the Phillies heard that and decided to enter the chat.
With their dominant 12-1 win over St. Louis last night, one in which they clobbered three round-trippers, they’ve now broken their franchise mark for most home runs in a calendar month. Bryson Stott started the push for this achievement when he launched one off of Dakota Hudson in the 4th inning but it was ultimately Nick Castellanos and Brandon Marsh who took Giovanny Gallegos deep twice in the 7th to break the record and extend the feat.
In total, that’s 48 nukes for August with 50 most likely being surpassed in the next couple of days.
The Phillies Catch Fire
The final days of summer are upon us but this team is heating up at the right time. It almost feels like déjà vu when looking at the standings and seeing that the Phightins currently hold the top spot in the National League Wild Card race. The next closest teams to them are the Chicago Cubs (3.0 GB) and Arizona Diamondbacks (3.5 GB), two clubs that have surprised and amazed fans this season.
On the series, Philly is currently outdoing the Cardinals in runs scored, hits, strikeouts, RBIs, and ERA. Not something you want to see from a team that has had a hard time trying to climb out of the cellar. Maybe Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols could help? Unlikely.
Phillies Enter Finale Against St. Louis
A sweep is looking more and more evident given the last two games with today being the icing on the cake. The first pitch is set for a 1:35 p.m. start time at CBP with ace Aaron Nola taking the mound for Philly and Drew Rom suiting up for the Red Birds. Nola, having his worst season since 2021, currently sports a 4.49 ERA with a record of 11-8. Rom, a newcomer to MLB, isn’t far off from his opponent as he boasts a 0-1 record with a 14.73 ERA in one game played this year.
Editor’s Note: Kyle Schwarber just belted a 436 foot home run in the bottom of the 1st to advance the record to 49 home runs in August.
(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
