The Phillies clubbed seven home runs, four of which were from Kyle Schwarber, in an 19-4 decimation of the Atlanta Braves to begin a four-game series. Schwarber became the 21st player in MLB history to hit four homers in a game and the fourth Phillie, joining Ed Delahanty (1896), Chuck Klein (1936), and Mike Schmidt (1976). His 9 RBIs in the game set a new franchise record. The seven team home runs tied the franchise record for most in a game.
Three of the team’s homers were in the first inning, as
the bats quickly erased a 3-0 hole dug by Aaron Nola who rallied to finish six innings and allow four runs. In the process, Nola passed Cole Hamels for third all-time on the franchise leaderboards for strikeouts in a career.
Unreal
Schwarber’s first home run came in the first inning after the Phillies fell behind. He blasted a Cal Quantrill curveball 450 feet into right field for his 46th homer of the season to put the Phillies on the board.
Schwarber’s second homer came in the fourth inning, a two-run shot that was part of a six-run inning for the Phillies. This one traveled 383 feet, his 47th of the season, and extended the Phillies lead to 10-3.
Schwarber came to the plate again in the fifth, but this time he decided to hit one to the opposite field, sending a three-run homer over the left field fence for number 48 on the season. This home run tied him for the second most in a season with Schmidt in 1980 and Ryan Howard in 2008.
But he wasn’t done quite yet, as Schwarber came to the plate once again in the seventh inning and launched the historic fourth home run 407 feet to right field off of Wander Suero, moving him into second most in a season in Phillies history with 49 and within striking distance of Howard’s record of 58 set in 2006.
Schwarber came up one final time in the eighth looking to become the first player to ever hit five home runs in a game, but he popped up 57 MPH “slider” from position player pitching Vidal Bruján to shallow left field to end his night at the plate. And what a night it was, as Schwarber finished 4-6 with those four home runs and 9 RBIs.
Vibe shift
It may be hard to believe now, but it appeared the Phillies were still demoralized from their sweep at the hands of the Mets to begin the game. Nola quickly allowed a single and a walk to begin the game. He then got Ronald Acuña Jr. to pop up for the first out, but Drake Baldwin followed with a single to load the bases. Ozzie Albies then worked a six pitch walk to force a run in before Michael Harris II singled to deep right and plated two more to give the Braves an early 3-0 lead.
Nola was already up to 31 pitches by this point as boos began to rain down, but he finally recovered to strikeout Marcell Ozuna before Albies was caught trying to steal home in a double steal attempt to mercifully end the inning.
Everybody hits
The Phillies quickly erased any feelings of lingering dread in their half of the first though, as Schwarber started a home run barrage in the first off of Quantrill.
Bryce Harper followed Schwarber’s first homer with a single before J.T. Realmuto launched his 11th home run of the season to the second deck in left field on the first pitch he saw, tying the game at 3-3.
Brandon Marsh followed that up with a single before Alec Bohm grounded into a force out. No matter, as Max Kepler joined the homer party with his 14th of the season, traveling a “modest” 399 feet to right and giving the Phillies a 5-3 lead.
It was the third time this season that the Phillies have hit multiple home runs in the first inning.
Taking out some frustration
But they weren’t done yet, as Harper led off the third inning with, you guessed it, a second deck home run to right field on the first pitch for his 22nd of the season that pushed the lead to 6-3.
More runs would come in the fourth, when Bader hit a triple to center with one out and scored on a Bryson Stott single to right. Trea Turner then doubled in Stott to extend the lead to 8-4. That finally ended the night for Quantrill who officially lasted 3.1 IP and allowed nine runs on nine hits, four of which were home runs.
Schwarber’s second home run greeted his replacement Austin Cox before Bohm added two more runs with a double to extend the lead to 12-3. The Phillies would add seven more runs over the course of the game, six from Schwarber home runs and one from an Edmundo Sosa single. Harrison Bader finished 4-5 and was a home run short of the cycle. Every player in the starting lineup had at least one hit and the team totaled 20 base hits.
Thanks for not messing it up
Nola settled in after the rough first and threw 39 pitches over the next four innings. He allowed a solo home run to Matt Olson in the sixth. but finished with 6 IP on the night and four runs allowed on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts, including one of Acuña in the in the sixth that moved him into sole possession of the third most in franchise history with 1,845.
Tomorrow’s matchup
Kyle Schwarber will look to do something even more ridiculous tomorrow to help out Ranger Suárez (10-6, 3.07 ERA) as he takes the mound against Bryce Elder (5-9, 6.12 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:45.
