WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 05: J.T. Realmuto #10 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with Bryce Harper #3 after scoring in the ninth inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on August 05, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Fans went wild as the Philadelphia Phillies completed an epic ninth-inning rally to pull within a half-game back of the New York Mets for the NL East lead.
When Odebul Herrera stepped up to the plate at the top of the ninth inning on Thursday night, the Philadelphia Phillies were down 5-3 to the Washington Nationals. The left-fielder smacked a lead-off double, a line drive to center field that began a late-game comeback for the Phillies.
A throwing error helped Ronald Torreyes get on base as well before two quick outs nearly put the game out of reach. Another double by J.T. Realmuto brought both Herrera and Torreyes home to even the score. Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan decided to walk Bryce Harper intentionally, but it backfired when Rhys Hoskins came up next and hit another two-run double. 7-5 Phillies. The Nationals would get one back in the bottom of the ninth, but it wasn’t enough.
The Phillies are chasing the New York Mets for their first NL East crown since 2011. Thanks to their four-run ninth inning, the Fightin’ Phils are now just half a game behind, and fans couldn’t help but get excited about the coming playoff push. Plus, who doesn’t love a five-game win streak?
Even the GM was fired up.
MLB Twitter reacts to Phillies rally
There’s nothing like witnessing your team complete a ninth-inning comeback to get baseball fans hyped up. Here’s a look at some of the reactions on Twitter tonight.
As NBC’s Corey Seidman points out, the Phillies have been on a tear since July 1.
There’s an important stretch ahead for the Phillies, who can pull into the top spot with a win in their next outing. Coincidentally, they’re about to start a three-game homestand against none other than the Mets.
The Phillies are playing some of their best ball of the season and currently have two regulars hitting over .300. Something tells us it’s going to be a fun few weeks of baseball in the NL East.