When the Philadelphia Phillies embarked on their current six-game road trip, they had just completed a big series win over the rival New York Mets. They had won 10 of 13. They had scored 72 runs (5.5 runs/game) over that stretch.
Then they got to Texas. They lost the series opener against the Houston Astros 1-0, after Ranger Suárez continued his dominant run with a brilliant start in which he made one singular mistake. Then they got another great start from Zack Wheeler on Wednesday, per MLB.com's Paul Casella. They lost that one 2-0.
Feel like I’ve been watching the same Phillies Astros game since Tuesday night
— Devan Kaney (@Devan_Kaney) June 26, 2025
Bryson Stott, Brandon Marsh team up to break Phillies' scoreless inning streak
Entering Thursday's series finale, their scoreless inning streak sat at 19 innings, dating back to the eighth inning (they didn't bat in the ninth of the 7-1 win) of the series finale against the Mets on Sunday. After being unable to score a run through the first seven innings against Houston, the painful streak reached 26 1/3 innings before the bats finally broke through in the eighth inning.
Second baseman Bryson Stott walked with one out. Catcher Rafael Marchán singled him to third. Brandon Marsh, who got the start in center field, lifted a fly ball to deep right. Stott tagged up and scored easily, tying the game at 1-1. The way the week has gone, it was hard to believe it happened, but it did.
We have scored pic.twitter.com/WapTQIXogc
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) June 26, 2025
The bad news is that the Phillies still ended up losing the game, 2-1, after reliever Orion Kerkering gave up his first run since May 6. Because of course he did.
Phillies starter Cristopher Sánchez did his part on the mound on Thursday afternoon, going six innings, allowing just one run and striking out 11 on 99 pitches before being pulled in the seventh. Unfortunately, things didn't get any better for the Phillies' hitters, after Astros starter Hunter Brown had his way with them. The right-hander, who's having a career year in his third full season in the majors, dazzled the Phillies over seven innings, allowing just three hits with nine strikeouts.
The guys in the booth even got in on the action, trying to help the Phils out of the offensive slump. NBC Sports Philadelphia's play-by-play man Tom McCarthy and color commentator Ruben Amaro Jr. switched seats in the top of the sixth, to no avail. Marchán led off the inning with a single, but that was all the Phillies could muster as Brown struck out the next three hitters.
On top of their excruciating scoreless streak this week, the Phillies hadn't scored a run against the Astros since the eighth inning of a 5-0 win on Aug. 27, 2024. They lost the following game 10-0, and after Thursday's eighth-inning run, they snapped the scoreless streak against the Astros at 35 1/3 innings.
The Phillies will be glad to get out of Houston, but their next destination won't be any more welcoming as they head to Truist Park for a weekend series against the always tough Atlanta Braves.