Brandon Marsh hit a three-run double, Nick Castellanos and Bryson Stott each collected three hits and the Philadelphia Phillies topped the visiting Chicago Cubs 9-6 on Wednesday.
Castellanos, Trea Turner and Kody Clemens homered for Philadelphia (94-65), which clinched a first-round bye in the National League playoffs with their win combined with the Milwaukee Brewers’ loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Phillies also are keeping a close eye on the Los Angeles Dodgers (93-64) – who face the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night – in the race for the NL’s top seed.
Philadelphia wrapped up its home schedule with a major league-best 54-27 record despite impressive performances from Chicago’s Isaac Paredes and Nico Hoerner. Paredes went 4-for-5 for the Cubs (81-78), while Hoerner hit a pair of home runs – his sixth and seventh of the campaign.
The Phillies jumped out to an early lead in the first inning against Javier Assad (7-6). Turner’s 20th home run made it 1-0 before Stott’s two-run double increased the advantage to 3-0.
Castellanos’ 23rd homer extended the lead to 4-0 in the third, but Hoerner answered with a three-run shot against Cristopher Sanchez in the fourth to bring Chicago within a run.
The offenses continued to exchange runs, as Clemens responded with a solo shot before the Cubs countered with Cody Bellinger’s RBI single. That hit ended the night for Sanchez, who allowed four runs (three earned) and five hits in 4 2/3 innings. Sanchez walked one and fanned four.
Philadelphia tacked on three more runs in the fifth. Castellanos singled with one out and Stott reached on an infield hit before Assad walked J.T. Realmuto to load the bases. Marsh followed with his bases-clearing double against Keegan Thompson, making it 8-4.
Jose Ruiz (5-1) allowed Hoerner’s solo shot in the sixth before Orion Kerkering, Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez closed it out with one inning apiece.
Realmuto made it 9-5 with an RBI single in the seventh, and Dansby Swanson had a run-scoring double in the ninth for Chicago.
Assad allowed eight runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out three.
