Cody Bellinger scores 4 runs in the Cubs’ 10-4 win over the Phillies. Originally published on NBC Sports Chicago
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cody Bellinger hit a triple, two singles and scored four runs and the Chicago Cubs beat the Philadelphia Phillies 10-4 on Tuesday night.
Kyle Schwarber hit his 38th home run of the season and Bryce Harper hit his 30th for the Phillies, who clinched their first NL East title in 13 years on Monday night. Manager Rob Thomson used his regular lineup, minus catcher JT Realmuto, as Philadelphia tries to secure home-field advantage in the National League playoffs.
“Of course you want to go out there and keep winning. It didn’t work out for us,” said Schwarber. “You take your hat off to them. The most important thing is to put that behind you and concentrate on the next four games.”
The Phillies (93-65) have four games left and need to finish at least tied with the Brewers to get a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Milwaukee beat Pittsburgh on Tuesday night to move within 2 1/2 games of the Phillies.
“We want to keep pushing and win baseball games,” Schwarber said.
Philadelphia can also secure home-field advantage through the NL Championship Series by finishing the season tied or ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who entered the season with a 93-63 record on Tuesday night.
After Harper gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead in the first by hitting 30 home runs for the fifth time in his career, Philadelphia dug a huge hole in the second when Tanner Banks (2-3) and Taijuan Walker combined to allow six runs.
“We had a really good inning,” said Cubs manager Craig Counsell.
Walker, who signed a four-year, $72 million free agent contract ahead of the 2023 season, entered the game with the bases loaded and one out and was loudly booed, especially after allowing two consecutive walks with the bases loaded. Phillies fans’ displeasure grew even louder when Seiya Suzuki hit a two-run single.
The Phillies will not need a No. 5 starter for the rest of the season. That has been a weak point for most of the season, especially in the second half.
Philadelphia got a run back in the bottom of the inning on Garrett Stubbs’ RBI bunt single. Stubbs dove over Bellinger and into first base.
The Cubs won the game with four more runs in the sixth inning, with Bellinger’s triple to right field that cleared all bases being the highlight.
“We had runners on base all night,” Counsell said.
Drew Smyly (4-8) threw a scoreless inning as a replacement for Cubs starter Justin Steele, who allowed two runs in four innings.
“All in all, good,” Counsell said of the Cubs pitchers.
Dansby Swanson hit two doubles for Chicago and Pete Crow-Armstrong had three hits.
Schwarber hit a home run in the eighth inning, a two-run shot.
TRAINING ROOM
Cubs: 1B Michael Busch (right triceps contusion) did not pitch in the second inning after being hit by a pitch in the top of the inning. … Suzuki did not pitch in the eighth inning after spraining his ankle while running between the bases.
Phillies: LF Austin Hays returned to the lineup after being sidelined since Sept. 1 with a kidney infection. Hays went 1 for 4.
Next
The teams end their three-game series on Wednesday night when Cubs RHP Javier Assad (7-5, 3.34 ERA) faces Phillies LHP Cristopher Sánchez (11-9, 3.25).
Click here to follow the Cubs Talk Podcast.
This embedded content is not available in your region.
