Late-inning wins might just be something the Philadelphia Phillies are good at. At least some would agree. On June 8, 1989, in the final game of an eight-game road trip, the Pittsburgh Pirates had already built a 10-0 lead in the first inning, and from the looks of it, all odds were against the Phillies at Veterans Stadium. But then came Von Hayes, who hit a pair of two-run homers to spark the comeback. They then scored five more runs in the bottom of the eighth to take the lead before eventually winning 15-11. Now, almost four decades later, they have pulled off similar heroics.
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The Phillies had been trailing from the very first inning. Despite entering the game on an eight-game winning streak, they had every reason to believe their remarkable run was about to end. But then Bryce Harper appeared and set the stage for a brilliant comeback with his double. The rest? Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly still can’t believe it.
“I was going to come in and tell you that I knew I could feel it all day. But I didn’t really feel that coming,” the interim manager said, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia on X. “But I do like the fact that the boys just keep grinding.”
The Phillies entered the game riding an eight-game winning streak, yet throughout Sunday’s game, it felt like their streak was coming to an end. In fact, the ninth inning was supposed to seal the victory for the Cardinals, but Harper started it with a double. Reliever Riley O’Brien then retired two Philadelphia batters, and it looked like the game was all but over. J.T. Realmuto, the Phillies’ catcher, followed with a single, while Harper advanced to third.
Justin Crawford then came to the plate, and O’Brien walked him, while Realmuto advanced to second on fielder’s indifference. Things were starting to look tense for the Cardinals. Edmundo Sosa was determined not to let the opportunity pass, and he hit a double on a 1-2 pitch. The result? Harper, Realmuto, and Crawford all scored, as the Phillies’ scoreline read 3-4.
Bryan De La Cruz then recorded an RBI single, and Sosa was quick enough to tie the score. Finally, Kyle Schwarber arrived in the batter’s box. After battling it out for 5 pitches, he hit a 459-foot homer. With that two-run home run, the Phillies made it 6-4 in their favor, and Citizens Bank Park erupted.
Before running the bases in 26 seconds, Schwarber chucked his helmet to the sky. The way they made it back into the fight and secured a victory was unreal for the 33-year-old. But he wanted to make sure he wasn’t, in any way, disrespecting the opponents.
“It was just more, just, shock,” Schwarber said after the game. “Disbelief. I didn’t know what to do there.”
Phillies starter Cristopher Sánchez gave up four runs and nine hits over 6.2 innings, but Don Mattingly’s boys managed to overcome that deficit with a ninth-inning comeback, extending their winning streak to nine games. But this wasn’t their first comeback of the season.
Phillies keep finding ways to stay alive
Their current nine-game streak has already shown the opponents just how difficult it is to put them away. More importantly, they were struggling to remain in the Wild Card race before this very streak. They were 1.0 game behind the last National League spot. Now, they are 2.0 games ahead.
But this wasn’t their only rodeo in 2026.
Back in June, they were facing their divisional rivals before the All-Star break. They already lost the series opener 4-1, and a win was necessary to keep their possibilities alive for the 4-game series. But during the second game, the Phillies found themselves trailing 8-6 entering the ninth.
Sure, the loyalists were praying for a miracle with 2 outs in the inning, and the team pulled off exactly that. Brandon Marsh tied the game with a 2-run homer, and the fans were suddenly up on their feet. Little did they know, it was only the beginning of the chaos.
Bryson Stott followed him shortly after with a three-run home run. Sosa recorded a 2-RBI double, and Turner managed a 1-RBI single. By the time the Nats wrapped it up, they were trailing 14-8, and they could only score one run in the bottom of the ninth.
That’s why Don Mattingly said that, “This is a little bit like the DC comeback, where we’re down to the last strike and two outs.”
On Sunday, they not only managed to keep their streak alive, but they are also well on their way to the postseason. With a 73-58 record (second in the NL East) and the team’s level of perseverance, come October, the Philadelphia Phillies will be one team to watch.