Are the Phillies getting hot at the right time?

Meanwhile, on the mound, Zack Wheeler was lights out. Wheeler went seven strong for the Phils, allowing one earned run off only three hits while striking out 10 in the victory. 

Offensively, the Phillies are as hot as any team in baseball, scoring 70 runs over their last nine games alone. Ahead of Saturday's showdown with the Cardinals, only the Seattle Mariners (220), Los Angeles Dodgers (223), Houston Astros (223), Chicago Cubs (232) and Atlanta Braves (242) had batted more runs across the plate than Philadelphia (208) since the All-Star break. 

A strong offense is nothing without shutdown pitching and the Phillies unit has shown up in the second half of the season. On the hill, the Phils boast a rotation of Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Taijuan Walker, Michael Lorenzen and Cristopher Sanchez, with Ranger Suarez waiting in the wings. Entering Saturday's action, only the Milwaukee Brewers (3.67), Mariners (3.57), Dodgers (3.53) and Toronto Blue Jays (3.30) had a lower ERA since the break than Philly's 3.73. 

With Saturday's victory, the Phillies remain three games ahead of the pack for the first wild-card spot in the National League. There's no guarantee that the Phils' winning ways will carry them through the postseason. However, their recent play should open some eyes around the league because the Phillies look like they might be for real.