Midweek Report:
Phillies Extend Win Streak to Seven — But Are They Legit?
The Phillies extended their win streak to seven games, but questions remain. All of those wins came against sub-.500 teams like the Pirates and Rockies, so it’s fair to wonder: how real is this run?
The week began on the road in Colorado, with Cristopher Sánchez on the mound facing Kyle Freeland. After falling behind 2-0 early, the Phillies turned things around by the fifth inning and got on the board. A few innings later, the offense exploded — scoring nine runs on 17 hits, including three home runs. Kyle Schwarber launched his 16th of the season in the 9-3 win.
In Game 2, Jesús Luzardo took the hill against Antonio Senzatela and delivered one of his best performances yet. He struck out 10 over six dominant innings, making a strong case to be in the Cy Young conversation. The Phillies jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first — and with the way Luzardo was dealing, that was all they needed. Schwarber homered again, this time his league-tying 17th, and the Phils secured a 7-4 win.
Game 3 featured Taijuan Walker vs. Evan Justice Palmquist. In his return to the rotation, Walker threw five innings, allowed three runs, and struck out two. The offense stayed hot, launching three more home runs en route to a 9-5 win. Bryce Harper, in particular, looked like his old self — safe to say MV3 is officially back.
The series finale gave fans a throwback pitching duel: Ranger Suárez vs. Germán Márquez. The Phillies managed just four hits but made them count, winning 2-0 thanks to stellar work from Suárez and the bullpen.
With a sweep of the Rockies in the books, the Phillies will look to keep the momentum going next week against the Athletics and Braves. Those matchups — especially against a strong Braves squad — should offer a clearer picture of whether this Phillies team is for real.
Right now, all signs point to yes. But we’ve seen this team get hot before. The real test is still ahead.
