A Night of Milestones
The Philadelphia Phillies moved to the brink of the National League wild-card race on Tuesday, edging the Miami Marlins 6-5 in a game that swung back and forth until the final out.
Right-hander Cristopher Sánchez earned his 16th win of the season, delivering six innings of six-hit, one-run baseball while striking out six batters. The performance marked the first time in franchise history that a pitcher reached 16 victories in a single campaign.
The victory also propelled the Phillies to the second wild-card spot, edging the San Diego Padres by a single game and tightening the race for the postseason.
Controversy and Comeback
A seventh-inning replay review turned a foul-ball call on its head, awarding two runs to the Marlins and prompting manager Clayton McCullough’s ejection after the call was ruled fair.
Brian Navarreto answered with his first homer of the season in the eighth, narrowing the deficit to 5-4 and reigniting hope among the visitors.
The Phillies responded in the third inning with RBI singles from Trea Turner and Luis Arraez, building an early lead that would prove crucial.
A near-triple play attempt in the fifth faltered when Heriberto Hernández’s sharp grounder eluded the defense, preserving the Marlins’ chance to rally.
Bullpen Seals the Deal
Closer Jhoan Duran entered in the ninth and retired the final two batters, notching his 27th save of the season and sealing the Phillies’ 6-5 triumph.
Looking ahead, Zack Wheeler (10-4, 2.89 ERA) is slated to start the next game as Philadelphia faces an as-yet-undetermined Marlins pitcher on Tuesday, a matchup that could further shape the wild-card picture.