The defending National League champion Philadelphia Phillies are making a triumphant return to the postseason after a dramatic extra-inning victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates last night.
This thrilling win secured their second consecutive postseason berth, marking a significant turnaround for a franchise that endured a decade-long postseason drought, which had been the longest in the National League until last season.
It was Johan Rojas who delivered the walk-off hit that sent Philly into a celebratory craze.
“It’s honestly surreal,” Rojas said. “I didn’t think I was going to be here, but it’s really, really cool to be here.”
WALK IT OFF INTO RED OCTOBER. pic.twitter.com/usqUiUVlNu
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 27, 2023
The Phillies’ postseason journey last year saw them clinch a wild-card spot with 87 wins before progressing all the way to the World Series, where they ultimately fell to the Houston Astros in six games.
Similar to their 2022 season, the Phillies had a slow start this year but hit their stride midseason.
On June 2, they found themselves seven games under .500 with a 25-32 record. However, they’ve since gone on a remarkable run, posting a stellar 63-37 record.
The Phillies unique makeup positions them as strong contenders in postseason series. Their lineup is teeming with power hitters, a critical asset in October baseball.
Pitching depth is another area of strength for Philadelphia. The team boasts six legitimate MLB starters in Michael Lorenzen, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sánchez, Ranger Suárez, Taijuan Walker, and Zack Wheeler.
Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Brewers clinched the National League Central title on Tuesday night.
Ironically, this was not a result of their own victory over the St. Louis Cardinals but rather due to a stunning collapse by the Chicago Cubs against the Atlanta Braves.
The Cubs held a commanding 6-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, seemingly on the cusp of a straightforward victory. However, a resilient Braves team mounted a comeback, scoring three runs in the sixth and adding two more in both the seventh and eighth innings.
Ronald Acuña Jr.’s 41st home run of the season played a pivotal role in the Braves comeback.
The Cubs unraveling reached its climax with an error committed by outfielder Seiya Suzuki on a routine fly ball, allowing two runs to score in the eighth inning.
This error ended up deciding the game – and in-turn the National League Central…
FOR THE LEAD!#ForTheA pic.twitter.com/ACJqmpQscM
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 27, 2023
Playoff baseball can’t get here soon enough!
What is your early World Series prediction???
