Schwarber becomes 1st player to 20 HRs, making Phils history along the way

PITTSBURGH -- Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber put himself in the Phillies' record book as his team came back from a six-run deficit and defeated the Pirates, 11-9, in 10 innings at PNC Park on Friday night.

It was the bottom half of the Phillies’ batting order that got things rolling in the 10th. Brandon Marsh broke an 8-8 tie by doubling off right-hander Dennis Santana and sending Alec Bohm home with the go-ahead run. Two batters later, with runners on second and third, Rafael Marchán added to the lead with a two-run single.

Schwarber continued his home run barrage by launching his 19th and 20th homers of the season. The first came in the fifth inning, a two-run shot, against right-hander Braxton Ashcraft. Two innings later, Schwarber hit another two-run missile off left-hander Mason Montgomery.

Schwarber’s 20 homers in the club’s first 45 games of the season tied a Phillies record set by Cy Williams in 1923. Schwarber is also the second Phillies player to hit nine or more homers in an eight-game span, joining Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt (1976). Schwarber also accomplished the feat in June 2021 -- while with the Nats -- joining Albert Belle (1998 and 1995) as the only players in MLB history to have such a span in multiple seasons.

The Phillies tied the game at 8 in the top of the ninth inning. With Philadelphia down, 8-5, Pirates closer Gregory Soto had problems getting hitters out. In fact, the Phillies had the bases loaded with no outs when Schwarber drew a walk, scoring Edmundo Sosa. Bryce Harper followed and hit a two-run single -- which nearly got out for a grand slam -- to tie the game.

But Schwarber’s accomplishment in the batter’s box could not overshadow the fact that something is not right with right-hander Aaron Nola, who was hit hard.

Nola was able to get off to a good start by shutting down Pittsburgh in the first two innings. But it went downhill in the third as the Pirates scored six runs. First, he allowed a two-run single to Oneil Cruz, then surrendered a pair of two-run jacks to Brandon Lowe and Marcell Ozuna.

Nola left the game with two outs in the fourth, allowing six runs on six hits with three walks and two strikeouts, continuing one of the toughest stretches of his Major League career. Opposing hitters have a .293 batting average against him, while he has averaged 5.07 innings per start.