Sometimes, the vibes are just too good to stop. The Philadelphia Phillies, who rode an MLB-best nine-game winning streak into a Seattle opener we won't talk about any further, entered the ninth inning of Sunday's series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals with precious little optimism.
Then, a parade of two-strike hits and never-say-die at-bats followed against All-Star closer Riley O'Brien, which presented Kyle Schwarber with the opportunity to play hero. And, as he's done so often in a Phillies uniform, the reigning NL home run champion delivered, obliterating a ball onto Ashburn Alley for the team's first walk-off homer in over three years.
That wasn't the only piece of history that was made, though. They've now swept three consecutive series for the first time since 2022 -- when they last made the World Series -- and have won a game after trailing by four runs with two outs in the ninth, ending a 43-year-drought.
Before today, the last time the Phillies won a game in which they trailed by 4+ runs and down to their last batter was April 13, 1983 vs the Mets.
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) August 23, 2026
They won 10-9 after trailing 9-5 with two outs in the ninth
h/t @EliasSports https://t.co/bynbPBK7AT
Phillies' improbable comeback has them in elite franchise company
That 1983 comeback against the Mets proved to set the tone for another meaningful season, as the Phillies also made the World Series that year, though they lost to the Orioles in five games. For what it's worth, John Denny also won the Cy Young Award that year, which might bode well for Cristopher Sánchez's chances in a crowded race.
Even as impressive as the company is, though, the most important takeaway from Sunday's comeback victory is that this team simply refuses to quit. They've now won five games this year while trailing in the ninth with two outs and two strikes, which is the most in a single season since pitch-tracking data began in 1988.
Whereas they were dangling around the periphery of the Wild Card race mere weeks ago, they are now firmly entrenched as the No. 5 seed in the National League. They're just three games behind the Cubs for the top Wild Card spot and 3.5 behind the Braves for the NL East lead. And they've fueled this current winning streak by sweeping three other playoff hopefuls in the Twins, Marlins, and Cardinals.
Tougher tests still await, including a stretch of seven games in 10 days against the Braves in early September that will more than likely determine the fate of the division. There's also an absolutely brutal gauntlet during the final week of the regular season we have to look forward to, as the Phillies will host the best teams in the NL (Brewers) and AL (Rays) just before October.
But even if they stumble at some point over the final month, we have all the proof we need to know that this team will bounce back when it matters most.
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