WASHINGTON – Cristopher Sánchez had a rare rocky start during the Phillies’ 10-5 win in Thursday night's series finale against the Nationals at Nationals Park.
Sánchez allowed five runs on seven hits, one walk and a hit batter over five innings, the most runs the 2025 National League Cy Young Award runner-up has allowed since permitting six at the Cubs on April 23. The 29-year-old struck out six and threw 92 pitches, 60 for strikes.
The Phillies trailed 5-2 when Sánchez was lifted for reliever Chase Shugart to begin the sixth inning.
After retiring James Wood on a groundout to begin the bottom of the first, Sánchez allowed four runs on four hits, triggered by Curtis Mead’s one-out homer.
Mead’s blast traveled over the left-center-field wall at a Statcast-projected 409 feet, with an exit velocity of 107.5 mph. Mead hit a 95.9 mph first-pitch sinker, the fifth homer allowed by Sánchez in his last four starts.
In a unique twist, the Phillies had traded Mead to the Rays for Sánchez on Nov. 20, 2019.
Following a hit by pitch to Andrés Chaparro, Dylan Crews, Daylen Lile and Nasim Nuñez all singled to help push across three more runs, and the Phillies were down 4-0 after one.
After another Crews single in the third, Washington added on. Jacob Young’s hard ground ball scooted under the glove of second baseman Bryson Stott into center field to score Crews, making it 5-0 Nationals.
Crews went 3-for-3 against Sánchez, who battled out of a bases-loaded jam by striking out Keibert Ruiz.
Thursday was the first time a team has scored four runs in an inning off Sánchez (earned or otherwise) since Aug. 11, 2024, a loss at the Diamondbacks. Arizona scored four runs in the third inning in its 12-5 rout of the Phillies.
The southpaw has allowed 10 runs in his past three starts after not allowing a run in five consecutive starts in May. Sánchez’s ERA jumped from 1.80 to 2.13.