PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies showcased their prowess by securing a split in a doubleheader against the San Diego Padres with a 5-1 win on Wednesday night.
Max Kepler delivered his power at the plate, launching his 10th home run of the season, a decisive two-run homer, against San Diego’s Dylan Cease (3-8) in the fourth inning. This gave the Phillies a comfortable 2-1 advantage.
Brandon Marsh contributed a solo home run off Cease in the subsequent inning, marking his third of the season and extending the lead to 3-1.
Adding to the offensive surge, Alec Bohm recorded an RBI triple while Nick Castellanos backed the team’s effort with an RBI single. The Phillies have now clinched victories in four of their last six games, reinforcing their momentum.
On the mound, Cristopher Sánchez (7-2) maintained dominance by allowing just one run and five hits over seven solid innings, fanning five batters along the way. This performance marked his sixth straight outing where he allowed two runs or fewer, a testament to his consistency as it was his 10th time pitching at least six innings with minimal runs conceded this season.
Although the Padres took the earlier game with a 6-4 score, the night game’s victory enabled the Phillies to claim the series. Both teams, ambitious for playoff positions, are set to clash again in San Diego in a crucial series just prior to the All-Star break next weekend.
The Padres’ lone scoring moment came from an RBI single by Jackson Merrill in the fourth inning. Nonetheless, the team has now lost four out of their last six encounters.
A critical moment occurred in the fifth inning when Sánchez held the lead by striking out Jake Cronenworth and Martin Maldonado with two Padres on base.
Of notable mention is Kepler’s home run, marking his first extra-base hit since June, ending a 50 plate appearance drought.
Looking ahead, San Diego’s Randy Vasquez (3-4, 3.84 ERA) is expected to take the mound on Friday as they welcome Texas for a three-game series. Meanwhile, the Phillies’ Jesús Luzardo (7-4, 4.06 ERA) is lined up to face the Cincinnati Reds at home, with Andrew Abbott (7-1, 1.79 ERA) set to pitch for the opposing team.