BOSTON -- Brandon Marsh might have said it best after Kyle Schwarber's two homer-game on Sunday afternoon -- Schwarber's fourth consecutive game with at least one home run.
"I don't want to say it's to the point where we expect it," Marsh said, "but it's like, ‘Oh, another one. And another one.’ It's special.”
Well, Schwarber didn't wait long to hit yet "another one" during Tuesday night's 2-1 win over the Red Sox. The Phillies slugger sent a first-inning shot just over the right-field wall at Fenway Park, going deep for a career-best fifth straight game -- a streak that also matches the franchise record.
The MLB record is eight consecutive games, done by three players: Ken Griffey Jr. with the Mariners (1993), interim Phillies manager Don Mattingly (Yankees, 1987) and Dale Long (Pirates, 1956).
In Mattingly’s case, he homered in five consecutive games before the All-Star Game, then -- after starting for the American League in the Midsummer Classic -- homered in three straight coming out of the break.
“Just a hot streak, really, more than anything else,” Mattingly said when asked what he remembers about that stretch. “I wasn't anything like Schwarbs. I really wasn't a home run hitter -- but for that little stretch I was.”
So, what kind of hitter is Schwarber?
“Dangerous,” Mattingly said.
Schwarber is the seventh Phillie to homer five games in a row and the first to do so since Trea Turner in 2023. The others to accomplish the feat are Odúbel Herrera (2018), Rhys Hoskins ('17), Chase Utley (twice in '08), Bobby Abreu ('05), Mike Schmidt (1979) and Dick Allen (1969).
“Our franchise history is pretty historic,” Schwarber said. “When you have some big boppers coming through our organization throughout the history of it, it's really cool to see that.”
Schwarber's latest blast -- which barely cleared the right-field wall -- put him atop the MLB leaderboard with 17. He entered the night tied with Yankees superstar Aaron Judge.
Schwarber will now look to set the franchise mark with a homer in six straight games on Wednesday night. The Red Sox are expected to start veteran righty Sonny Gray, against whom Schwarber is 4-for-24 (.167) in his career -- though one of those hits was a home run, on May 14 last season.
This might not be the only Phillies record Schwarber has in his sights this season. After hitting a career-best 56 homers last season, Schwarber is on pace for 65 this season. The franchise record is 58, set by Ryan Howard in 2006.
Schwarber, however, is focused on only one number right now: The one in the win column.
With Tuesday’s win, the Phillies improved to 11-3 under Mattingly -- and 20-22 overall. It’s the closest they’ve been to the .500 mark since they were 8-10 on April 15.
“Like I always say, I think it'll be cooler when I get to just sit back, have a beer whenever I'm retired and look at all the cool things that you did throughout your career,” Schwarber said of the homer accolades. “But right now, I want to focus on our guys and keep trying to find a way to win baseball games.”