Phillies Outlast Brewers
J.T. Realmuto's 3-Run Homer Sparks Phillies to 9-8 Victory Over Brewers
J.T. Realmuto crushed a three-run home run — 423 feet to left-center at 107.4 mph — and the Philadelphia Phillies erupted for five runs in the sixth inning to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-8 on Saturday night at American Family Field. The win moved Philadelphia to 38-32, keeping them firmly in the NL Wild Card race one night after getting shut out on one hit.
The Phillies racked up 17 hits against Milwaukee's pitching staff. But the Brewers nearly erased it all. Jackson Chourio went 4-for-5 with two home runs and four RBIs in a losing effort, and Milwaukee pulled within one run before closer Jhoan Duran retired the side in order to lock down his 18th save.
Phillies' Six-Run Sixth Buried Brewers' Momentum
The game was tied 3-3 heading into the sixth. Then Philadelphia's offense took over. Bryson Stott opened the inning with a sharp RBI double to right field. Realmuto followed and sent the next pitch 423 feet to left-center, clearing the bases and pushing the lead to 7-3. Bryce Harper added a sacrifice fly to make it 8-3. Five runs, just like that.
Realmuto finished 2-for-5 with four RBIs on the night. CBS Sports described him as the "backbone" of Philadelphia's offense. Stott was just as important, delivering RBI doubles in both the fourth and sixth innings to keep the Phillies in front each time Milwaukee threatened.
Chourio Put on a Show Despite the Loss
Jackson Chourio was the best player on the field — and still ended up on the losing side. The Milwaukee outfielder homered in the fifth inning to tie the game at 3-3. He added a two-run shot in the seventh to cut Philadelphia's lead to 8-5. In the eighth, he drove in another run with an RBI single to make it 9-8.
Chourio is already one of baseball's brightest young stars. According to CBS Sports, he recently became the youngest player in MLB history to post multiple 20-20 seasons. He's playing under an 8-year, $82 million extension signed before he ever played a major league game. Saturday was a reminder of why Milwaukee locked him up so early.
Phillies Bouncing Back Under New Manager Don Mattingly
Saturday's win meant even more given what happened Friday. The night before, Brewers starter Jacob Misiorowski threw a one-hit shutout with 15 strikeouts and a 104.5 mph fastball — a Statcast-era record for the fastest pitch by a starter. The Phillies came back the next night and hung 17 hits on Milwaukee's staff.
The Phillies started 2026 at a dismal 8-18 before firing manager Rob Thomson on May 6. Dave Dombrowski replaced him with Don Mattingly. Since then, Philadelphia has climbed back to above .500. The 9-8 win keeps them in second place in the NL East and in strong position for a Wild Card spot, according to CBS Sports.
Bullpen Nearly Blew It Before Duran Slammed the Door
Philadelphia's lead looked safe at 9-5 heading into the eighth. It was not. Milwaukee loaded the bases and Andrew Vaughn drew a walk to force in a run. Christian Yelich added a sacrifice fly. Chourio singled in another. Suddenly it was 9-8 with the Brewers very much alive.
Jhoan Duran entered for the ninth and was perfect. He retired Milwaukee in order to close out his 18th save of the season. The Daily Item noted that the near-collapse raised fresh questions about Philadelphia's late-inning depth — a concern that may loom larger as the summer playoff push intensifies with outfielder Adolis GarcÃa already on the 60-day injured list with a torn lat.
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