Nico Hoerner was a shining light for the Chicago Cubs in an otherwise disappointing loss in Philadelphia Wednesday night. The Phillies won the rubber match of this three-game series by a final score of 9-6. Chicago starter Javier Assad got roughed up in his final outing of the season, charged with eight earned runs in four-plus innings of work. The poor start for Assad ends a 2024 that saw the 27-year-old take a major jump into the starting rotation and surge to become one of the most important pitchers on the Chicago Cubs staff.
After clinching the NL East division crown in the series opener, the Philadelphia Phillies rebounded from last night’s laugher to win this series and draw even with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the top record in the National League. The Philadelphia offense peppered the Chicago pitching staff all night, especially Assad. A big first inning put the Phillies ahead and gave them a lead they would take all the way to the finish line despite a resilient Cubs offense drawing the game close multiple times throughout.
Philadelphia Phillies Take Series with 9-6 Win
The Philadelphia Phillies took the final game of their three-game set with the Chicago Cubs 9-6 Wednesday night. The Phillies set the offensive fireworks off right away in the first inning. Trea Turner launched a solo home run to get Philadelphia on the board against Chicago starter Javier Assad. The Phillies were relentless with Assad for the entirety of his outing. After the Turner long ball, the next three batters reached, including a Bryson Stott two-run double. The lead was extended in the third inning when Nick Castellanos hit his 23rd home run of the season.
The Castellanos bomb gave Philadelphia starter Cristopher Sanchez insurance that he needed to keep the lead in tact when the Chicago Cubs offense got on the board in the fourth inning. After a fielding gaffe from Bryson Stott that allowed Cody Bellinger to reach and Isaac Paredes to stay on base, Nico Hoerner belted a three-run home run after a tough, lengthy at-bat to draw the game within one run.
The game wouldn’t be that close for long, as in the bottom of the frame, Kody Clemens hit his fifth home run of the season on a solo shot to cushion the blow of the Hoerner homer. The lead was still precarious with Sanchez on the mound. The southpaw ran into more trouble in the fifth inning when the Cubs mounted a two-out rally. Sanchez walked Dansby Swanson before Isaac Paredes notched one of his four singles on the night and moved Swanson over to third. Cody Bellinger followed up Paredes with a single of his own, once again drawing the game to within one run at 5-4.
Starters Chased from Series Finale
Sanchez was removed from the ball game, and the Phillies escaped the threat with the lead in tact. Javier Assad wasn’t that far behind Sanchez in heading for the showers, but with more damage done on his way out. With one out, Philadelphia loaded the bases on Assad, culminating in his exit from the game after a walk. Unlike the Philadelphia bullpen, the Chicago bullpen couldn’t escape the threat, and Keegan Thompson gave up a bases-clearing double in his first at-bat out of the pen. Brandon Marsh’s three-run double gave the Phillies an 8-4 that put the game out of reach for the Cubs.
Nico Hoerner hit another home run in the top of the sixth, and Kevin Alcantara came around to score in his first career MLB game in the ninth, but it wasn’t enough to make up for the Phillies prolific offensive attack. Carlos Estevez closed out his second game of the series and secured a 9-6 victory in the rubber match. The win draws the Phillies even with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the race for the NL’s top record and number one overall seed for the playoffs.
