On Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park, the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Miami Marlins 11-1, clinching a first-round bye in the 2025 MLB playoffs and setting a franchise single-game record with eight home runs.
Edmundo Sosa, who had been out since Sept. 16 with a groin injury and was activated before the game, hit three home runs in three consecutive at-bats. He became the first shortstop in Phillies history to hit three homers in one game. His three-run home run in the fifth inning off reliever Lake Bachar extended Philadelphia’s lead to 6-1. Later, in the seventh inning, after Otto Kemp tied the franchise record with a two-run home run, Sosa broke it with his third of the game.
Kyle Schwarber hit his 55th and 56th home runs of the season, which increased his National League lead and brought him within two of Ryan Howard’s franchise record of 58 set in 2006. Schwarber also doubled and singled. His third-inning home run against Marlins starter Ryan Weathers tied the game at 1-1. According to Elias Sports Bureau, it was his 23rd homer against a left-handed pitcher this season, the most by a left-handed batter against a left-handed pitcher in a season in baseball history. In the seventh inning, Schwarber hit a Statcast-projected 468-foot home run into the second deck in right field, beginning a stretch in which the Phillies hit four home runs in the inning.
Bryson Stott, Alec Bohm, and Kemp also homered. Stott’s home run in the fourth inning was his first against a left-handed pitcher since May 18, 2024, and at 441 feet, it was the longest of his career. Bohm followed Schwarber’s seventh-inning homer with a solo shot. Kemp’s two-run homer tied the team’s previous single-game record before Sosa broke it.
Jesús Luzardo pitched seven innings for Philadelphia, striking out 10 batters and allowing three hits and one run. Luzardo, who faced his former team, improved to 15-7 and set a career high with 216 strikeouts this season. Weathers (2-2) lasted 4 2/3 innings for Miami, giving up six hits, five earned runs, and three home runs. Valente Bellozo allowed four home runs in the seventh inning.
Following the victory, sportsbooks adjusted their odds. DraftKings, Caesars, and FanDuel listed the Phillies as World Series favorites in the range of +425 to +450. At BetMGM, the Phillies opened at +1100 on Oct. 30, 2024, and after clinching the division, they moved to +425, passing the Dodgers to become the consensus favorite. BetMGM reported that the Dodgers led all teams with 19.4% of handle and 11.5% of total bets, while the Phillies accounted for 9.4% of handle and 10.2% of total bets. In National League pennant odds, the Phillies were listed at +210, with the Dodgers at +300 and the Brewers at +360. Schwarber, after his two home run performance against Miami, was listed at +1900 to win National League MVP. Shohei Ohtani was the favorite at -20000.
The Phillies, champions of the National League East with a 93-65 record, secured at least the No. 2 seed. They will open the postseason with a best-of-five Division Series at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday, Oct. 4. Game 2 is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 6, also in Philadelphia. Games 3 and 4 will be played on Wednesday, Oct. 8, and Thursday, Oct. 9, on the road. If necessary, Game 5 will be played in Philadelphia on Saturday, Oct. 11.
The National League Championship Series begins Monday, Oct. 13, with Game 7 scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 21, if necessary. The World Series begins Friday, Oct. 24, with Game 7 scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 1, if necessary.
Ryan Howard was in attendance for the game in which Schwarber moved within two of his franchise home run record. The Phillies hit four home runs in the seventh inning, the first time they had done so since Aug. 17, 1985, against the Chicago Cubs, when Juan Samuel, Glenn Wilson, Mike Schmidt, and Darren Daulton all homered.
