PHILADELPHIA – The offense looked the way it should for the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.
Seven of the nine starters in the lineup had a hit leading the Phillies to a high-scoring 9-5 series finale win against the Chicago White Sox at Citizens Bank Park to close out a 5-1 homestand.
"Our guys stayed with it and pressed on," interim manager Don Mattingly said of his lineup. "Seemed like the whole series felt like a back and forth and never felt comfortable with a lead. We were able to breakout and help the pitching this series."
The Phillies drew first blood for the first time in the series in the first inning after back-to-back doubles from Trea Turner and Bryce Harper to take a 1-0 lead.
After starting pitcher Aaron Nola gave up a pair of runs in the the second inning, Rafael Marchan, who got the start in lieu of J.T. Realmuto, smoked a low line drive over the right field wall to give the Phillies the lead back, 3-2.
For Marchán, it was just his seventh hit of the season, but his second homer. He entered the game hitting just .094 (6-for-64 at the plate).
It was a big swing for the backup.
The game continued to be a see-saw affair with the pesky White Sox tying the game up in the third on a Tristan Peters bloop double down the left field line between Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh.
Marsh came in charging but was unable to make the catch, allowing the ball to take a bounce behind him, giving way for Chase Meidroth to score from second.
"I don't know exactly what happened with the communciation part. For me, I'd like to see Brandon come and get it," Mattingly said. "He's got the better angle. He had a long way to go, but I would have liked to see him get there and be aggressive and call Bohm off."
"That's a tough play for Bohm. When I looked at it in the dugout, I felt like Brandon could have taken a little bit more charge."
Marsh redeemed himself in the bottom half of the inning, hitting an opposite-field solo homer to lead off the frame for his third home run in as many days, something he’s never done in his career.
Marsh finished the game 2-for-4 with the homer, single and two RBIs. He continues to make a strong case to be playing in the All-Star game in his home ballpark leading all of baseball with his .338 batting average and finished the series going 5-for-11 with three home runs and five RBIs.
"It feels like we are starting to talk about him everyday like we do with Sanchie," Mattingly said on his outfielder. "Every day is he swinging the bat and every day he is continuing to swing it. Not only with the average, but the power, extra-base hits, he's driving in runs."
Chicago went back on the offensive in the fifth inning chasing Aaron Nola out of the game after 4 ⅓ innings of work where he exited with a pair of runners on second and third with one out.
Tim Mayza was unable to leave those inherited runners stranded allowing a two-run, pinch-hit single to Randall Grichuk allowing the White Sox to retake the lead, 5-4.
But as they did in the series opener, the lineup kept delivering for the Phillies.
After a Harper single and Marsh walk, Alec Bohm slashed a double down the right field line plating Harper to tie the game at five runs apiece.
Bryson Stott followed with a liner to center field to give the Phillies their third lead of the game, 6-5.
Justin Crawford added another run to close out the inning on a double play where Stott tried to aggressively take third base after the throw was made to first by the shortstop Meidroth.
The Phillies weren’t done.
In the sixth, Marsh delivered with an RBI single before Bohm followed suit to add two more runs making it an 9-5 advantage.
Marsh, Bohm and Stott went a combined 5-for-10 with a double, home run and five RBIs.
"I feel like it's just the tip of the iceberg for us hitters. We just have to keep our foot down on the pedal," Marsh said in his postgame interview on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
The combination of Jose Alvarado, Orion Kerkering and Jonathan Bowlan combined to keep the White Sox off the board over the final four innings of the game avoiding the need for Jhoan Duran to enter the game, although the closer did get hot in the bullpen.
"It was really good," Mattingly said on Bowlan being able to eat the final two innings.
"I wish we wouldn't have to get Jo up to get hot, working towards a save situation. That double play ball was huge to end the game, but he did have to get going for sure," Mattingly said.
The Phillies have been red hot since Mattingly took over and now own the second-best record in baseball since April 28 owning a 26-11 record as they embark on a six-game, seve-day road trip starting with a three-game series on Monday against Toronto.
