Updated September 24, 2024 9:47pm CDT
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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – SEPTEMBER 24: Nico Hoerner #2 and Dansby Swanson #7 of the Chicago Cubs react after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on September 24, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Ge
PHILADELPHIA – Cody Bellinger tripled, singled twice and drove in four runs, and the Chicago Cubs routed the Philadelphia Phillies 10-4 on Tuesday night.
Kyle Schwarber hit his 38th homer of the season and Bryce Harper hit his 30th for the Phillies, who clinched their first NL East title in 13 years on Monday night. Manager Rob Thomson played his regular lineup, minus catcher J.T. Realmuto, as Philadelphia seeks to secure home-field advantage in the NL playoffs.
The Phillies (93-65) have four games remaining and need to finish at least tied with the Brewers to get a first-round playoff bye. Milwaukee beat Pittsburgh on Tuesday night to move within 2 1/2 games of the Phillies.
Philadelphia can also clinch home field in the NL Championship Series by ending the season tied with or ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who entered Tuesday night at 93-63.
After Harper put the Phillies up 1-0 in the first by reaching 30 home runs for the fifth time in his career, Philadelphia dug a huge hole in the second, when Tanner Banks (2-3) and Taijuan Walker combined to give up six runs.
Walker, who signed a four-year, $72 million free-agent deal prior to the 2023 season, entered with the bases loaded and one out and was booed loudly, especially after issuing consecutive bases-loaded walks.
The displeasure of Phillies fans got even louder when Seiya Suzuki hit a two-run single.
Philadelphia got a run back in the bottom of the inning on Garrett Stubbs’ RBI bunt single. Stubbs leaped over Bellinger with a headfirst slide into first base.
The Cubs blew the game open in the sixth with four more runs, highlighted by Bellinger’s bases-clearing triple to right field.
Drew Smyly (4-8) pitched a scoreless inning in relief of Cubs starter Justin Steele, who allowed two runs in four innings.
Dansby Swanson doubled twice for Chicago, and Pete Crow-Armstrong had three hits.
Schwarber went deep in the eighth, a two-run shot.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cubs: 1B Michael Busch (right triceps contusion) did not come out to play the field in the bottom of the second after being hit by a pitch in the top of the frame.
Phillies: LF Austin Hays returned to the lineup after being sidelined since Sept. 1 with a kidney infection.
Hays went 1 for 4.
UP NEXT
The teams wrap up their three-game series on Wednesday night when Cubs RHP Javier Assad (7-5, 3.34 ERA) faces Phillies LHP Cristopher Sánchez (11-9, 3.25).
