Kepler Powers Phils Past Cubs to tie with Brewers for 1st

 Max Kepler hit two homers in an opening 10-1 Phillies win that counted as a sweep, then another homer in Wrigley to spot the Phillies to a 2-0 win before the Cubs rallied to win 3-2. With the Phillies 5+ run win counting as a 3-game sweep mark and the Cubs narrow win counting as a 2 games to 1 mark, the Phillies win the series 4 games to 2.

The Phillies improve to 18-12 on the year to catch the Brewers at an identical 18-12 with only the series remaining between them for 1st place - while the Cubs are done playing and eliminated form first at 19-17 but still alive for our wildcard. If they split the final series both would be 21-15, but otherwise one will have more for 1st place.  At 13-11 the Mets still have two series left against the bottom two teams in the East - the Cardinals and Marlins, so they are mathematically alive for the division.

Below are links each player who played in our game, links to their Baseball Reference page. For batters we list their home run range and ability to steal bases (from A to F) and the OPS we would expect using that card before game notes. For pitchers we list their strike out range, how many innings the can pitch before tiring, the expected ERA and their game notes.

 

Pos	Phil 11'-52 Citizens Bank Park	HR	SB	OPS	2- game notes
1b	Bryce Harper	27-32	C	0.892
DH	Kyle Schwarber	17-26	B	0.909	HR, 2 singles
SS	Trea Turner	32-24	A	0.789
1b	Alec Bohm	32-33	D	0.779	3 hits game 1
LF	Max Kepler	24-27	C	0.755	3 homers, 1 single
CF/B	Nick Castellanos	28-32	C	0.748
B/CF	Brandon Marsh	26-27	B	0.747
PR-CF	Johan Rojas		A	0.631
PH	Harrison Bader	27-28	A	0.7
C	JT Realmuto	27-28	C	0.739
3b	Edmundo Sosa	27-28	B	0.735
2b	Bryson Stott	31	A	0.723	3 hits
PB	Game 1 Pitchers	K	MaxIP	ERA	2- game notes
2'-8	Ranger Suárez	25-42	6	3.58	6 innings, 1 run, win
4'-7	Tanner Banks	26-44	2	3.95
4'-7	Jordan Romano	24-44	1	3.71
4'-7	David Robertson	23-45	2	3.7
PB	Game 2	K	MaxIP	ERA	2- game notes
2'-8	Cristopher Sánchez	26-42	7	3.79	5 scoreless IP, but lost in 6th
2'-8	Orion Kerkering	24-45	1	3.2
2'-8	José Alvarado	23-45	1	3.02
2'-9	Jhoan Duran	23-45	2	2.39
Pos	CHC 11'-26 Wrigley Field	HR	SB	OPS	2- game notes
CF	Pete Crow-Armstrong	26-33	AAA	0.825
RF	Kyle Tucker	27-32	AA	0.871	double, 2 walks
DH	Seiya Suzuki	26-31	C	0.809
PR	Matt Shaw	25-27	B	0.715
2b	Nico Hoerner	34	A	0.721	3 hits, cleanup vs LHP
LF	Ian Happ	25-27	C	0.774
3b	Michael Busch	24-27	D	0.773
SS	Dansby Swanson	26-28	B	0.728
C	Carson Kelly	24-25	D	0.674	HR, 2 caught stealings
CF	Willi Castro	27	B	0.716
PB	Game 1 Pitchers	K	MaxIP	ERA	Notes
2'-8	Shota Imanaga	25-44	7	3.52	5.3 IP, 6 runs, 5 ER
4'-7	Colin Rea	26-41	7	4.44	1.3 IP, 3 runs
2'-5	Nate Pearson	24-43	2	4.12
2'-5	Eli Morgan	25-43	2	3.74
	Game 2	K	MaxIP	ERA	Notes
2'-7	Jameson Taillon	26-41	7	4.17	6 IP, 2 R, win
2'-7	Porter Hodge	23-42	2	3.97	1 IP, Hold
2'-7	Caleb Thielbar	24-44	1	3.71	1 IP, Hold
2'-8	Drew Pomeranz	25-41	1	2.62	1 IP, Save

See pictures of the scoresheets and updated standings below.