PHILADELPHIA -- What a week for the Phillies.
What a day.
The Phillies swept the Giants in Thursday’s split-doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park with a 3-2 walk-off victory in Game 1 and a 6-5 walk-off victory in Game 2, helping the Phillies start 3-0 under interim manager Don Mattingly. Justin Crawford had a walk-off infield single in Game 1. Alec Bohm had a walk-off sacrifice fly in Game 2.
It was the first time the Phillies had two walk-off wins on the same day since July 24, 1998, against the Marlins. The last team to accomplish the feat was the Pirates on May 28, 2004 against the Cubs.
The victory started at the top of the Phillies’ lineup. Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber started Game 2 with back-to-back homers in the first inning. It was the seventh time in franchise history the Phillies hit back-to-back homers in the opening frame, and the first time since April 17, 2024.
It was Turner’s fourth homer of the season. It was Schwarber’s second homer of the doubleheader, his third in four games and his 11th of the season.
He hit his 350th career homer in the first inning in Game 1.
It’s no secret that the Phillies’ offense has underperformed this season. It’s why Rob Thomson lost his job on Tuesday. The Phillies entered the San Francisco series ranked 29th in MLB in batting average (.219), 29th in on-base percentage (.294), 27th in slugging percentage (.362) and 28th in runs per game (3.64).
The Phillies’ top three hitters -- Turner, Schwarber and Bryce Harper -- ranked 11th with a .784 OPS; their top three ranked fifth last season (.813 OPS).
It has felt too much feast or famine at times. A big hit here or three, but nothing extended, no “passing the baton.” The Phillies’ top three entered Game 2 with only 10 two-out RBIs, which ranked 29th in baseball. The trio ranked first last season with 121 two-out RBIs.
But the trio sparked a two-out rally in the fifth. Turner hit a two-out single to center field, when Giants manager Tony Vitello summoned left-hander Ryan Borucki from the bullpen to face Schwarber and Harper. Borucki had held lefties to a .311 OPS this season.
Righties had a 1.526 OPS against him.
But Schwarber hit a 3-1 sinker to left field for a bloop double to put runners on second and third. Harper walked on four pitches to load the bases, sending right-handed-hitting Adolis García to the plate.
García entered the game batting .243 with a .709 OPS. He had a .701 OPS against lefties, which has been a massive problem for the Phillies. Phils right-handed hitters entered Wednesday with a stunningly poor .515 OPS against lefties, nearly 100 points lower than the 29th-ranked Rangers (.610), and 26 points lower than the 1918 Red Sox (.541), who currently have the worst right-handed splits vs. lefties in a single season in baseball history.
But the cleanup spot has been a major problem, too. Phillies' cleanup hitters entered Wednesday ranked 29th with a .567 OPS.
García hit a 3-2 slider to left-center field to score two runs to give the Phillies a 4-2 lead. The Giants tied the game in the sixth. The Giants scored a run to take the lead in the ninth. Schwarber’s two-out double in the ninth scored Brandon Marsh to tie it.