Sanchez returns to Earth, Phillies can’t sweep on July 4 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
CHICAGO — The reigning National League Pitcher of the Month allowed just six earned runs in the entire month of June, but Cristopher Sanchez went all out at Wrigley Field on Thursday afternoon in his first start of July, surrendering five in the fourth inning alone and seven total.
Sanchez went 1-2-3 in the first inning, avoided damage by throwing out the side in the second, and threw just eight pitches in a perfect third before the Cubs struck out in the bottom of the fourth. Sanchez walked Cody Bellinger and gave up a single to Seiya Suzuki, setting the table for Ian Happ’s three-run homer that turned a two-run Phillies lead into a deficit the rest of the way.
Three more Cubs reached base in the fourth inning, with two scoring. Rob Thomson sent Sanchez back out for the fifth, and the left-hander returned Bellinger and Suzuki to the field before being replaced by Seranthony Dominguez, who allowed Happ’s second three-run homer in as many innings.
The Phillies lost 10-2. The only other time they allowed double figures in runs was on March 30, the second day of the season. Sanchez started with the second-lowest ERA in the NL, 2.41, and went out with 2.96, still good enough for sixth in the league.
You knew eventually one of his pitches would hit the sweet spot and travel 400 feet. Sanchez had only one deep hit in 96⅓ innings this season before Happ hit one to left-center. He allowed 16 homers in 99⅓ innings last season. No one dodges longballs the way Sanchez does in 2024.
He still deserves All-Star consideration. Pitchers and reserves will be announced Sunday at 5:30 p.m. ET, and even if Sanchez doesn’t make the team then, he would be a logical replacement for any pitcher starting Sunday, July 14, in the final game before the All-Star break. Zack Wheeler, for example, is scheduled to pitch for the Phillies next Sunday, making him ineligible for the All-Star Game.
The Phillies opened the scoring on July 4 with an RBI single in the first inning by Brandon Marsh after Trea Turner stole second with two outs. It was the third consecutive plate appearance from Wednesday night to Thursday that Turner’s speed allowed the Phillies to produce a run. He hit an infield single in his next-to-last at-bat Wednesday and scored on a home run by Alec Bohm. He then scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly to shallow center. On Thursday, he got a great jumper off Jameson Taillon to set up Marsh’s knock.
Nick Castellanos hit a solo home run to extend the Phillies’ lead before Sanchez got into trouble. Castellanos is really on a roll, with a .298 batting average in his last 31 games with 11 doubles, a triple, six homers and 21 RBI.
The Cubs followed with 10 unanswered runs to prevent a Phillies sweep. The Phils still won the series and are 57-30 as they head into a three-game series over the weekend in Atlanta.
It’s a big series, but it won’t feature nearly as much star power as either side expected after their last meeting on opening weekend. The Phillies will be without Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto, while the Braves will be without Ronald Acuña Jr., Michael Harris II or Spencer Strider.
In reality, the Phillies only need to win one of the three games in Atlanta to maintain a comfortable lead in their division, which would put them at least seven games ahead of the pack.
