The Philadelphia Phillies pulled off something remarkable in Washington this week. Two nights. Two ninth-inning deficits. Two wins. The Phillies back-to-back comeback victories over the Nationals defied logic, probability, and the patience of every Washington fan in Nationals Park.
The first miracle: eight runs with two outs
Tuesday night started like a disaster. Jesús Luzardo, who entered with the fourth-lowest road ERA among qualified pitchers, got tagged for five runs through four innings. The Phillies fought back to take a 6-5 lead in the eighth, only for Jorbit Vivas to homer off Orion Kerkering, putting Washington ahead 8-6.
Then came the ninth. Two outs. Nobody on. Trea Turner singled on a two-strike pitch to keep the inning alive. Brandon Marsh stepped in and crushed a two-run homer, 103.8 mph off the bat with a 28-degree launch angle, traveling 399 feet. Tie game. Bryce Harper singled. Derek Hill singled (Read the article on Phillies trade for Derek Hill). Then Bryson Stott delivered the knockout—a 403-foot, three-run homer at 104.4 mph exit velocity. The Phillies scored eight runs with two outs in the ninth, turning an 8-6 deficit into a 14-9 win.
One night later: deja vu with a different hero
Wednesday followed the same script. Aaron Nola gave up two runs over five innings, but the Phillies trailed 4-3 entering the ninth. Kyle Schwarber, out of the starting lineup with lower back tightness, pinch hit with two outs. He worked a 10-pitch walk against Orlando Ribalta. Washington summoned Richard Lovelady to get the final out.
Manager Don Mattingly sent Hill to pinch hit. Down to his last strike, Hill launched a 99.5 mph, 30-degree line drive 381 feet over the right-center wall. Two-run homer. 5-4 Phillies. Jhoan Duran struck out the side in the ninth for his 19th save.
Resilience defines these Phillies
Two games. Two ninth-inning comebacks. Both times with two outs. Both times down to their final strike. The Phillies back-to-back comeback victories sent a message to the entire National League: this team does not quit. Mattingly, now 35-17 since taking over a 9-19 team, put it simply: “The game is never over”. His players have made that belief reality.
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