At this stage of the season, teams will take any win that comes their way. And that's especially true for this Philadelphia Phillies group right now after they entered Monday as losers of three straight series.
Knowing they needed to secure a victory with their ace Zack Wheeler on the mound, it took until the 10th inning for the Phillies to finally leave the field with a win.
However, the way they did it was in a zany fashion, with a catcher's interference call with the bases loaded resulting in a walk-off victory for Philadelphia.
More News: Signing David Robertson Is Risk Worth Taking for Phillies
Just about everyone was perplexed and fascinated by that ending, and for good reason.
It was the first time since 1971 that a game ended on a catcher's interference call.
The Phillies!!!
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) July 22, 2025
The second walk-off catcher’s interference in at least the divisional era (1969), joining:
8/1/71 LAD
With Johnny Bench behind the plate for the Reds https://t.co/e1oXM7hxCX
While the Phillies might have preferred to win in a different way, nobody in the dugout was complaining, with Edmundo Sosa -- who was the one who hit Boston Red Sox catcher Carlos Narvaez's mitt -- getting doused with water in celebratory fashion.
More News: Should Phillies Make Aggressive Move for Diamondbacks Slugger Eugenio Suarez?
Monday was another grinding victory, something that has become common for Philadelphia this year.
Outside of Bryce Harper -- who has been red-hot recently and is starting to look like his two-time NL MVP self -- the brightest spot in this contest was the much maligned bullpen.
Despite ringing up 10 batters on the night, it was clear that Wheeler didn't have his best stuff, which resulted in him leaving his outing after six innings and 105 pitches.
More News: Did Phillies Grab a Major MLB Draft Steal in This Day Two Prospect?
Tasked with keeping things level at two runs apiece, the combination of Tanner Banks, Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm gave up just one hit and no runs, striking out four batters with two walks in three innings of work.
Max Lazar was called upon in the 10th to keep the game tied, and he was masterful by striking out two batters and not allowing a single hit to give the offense a chance to win things in the bottom of the frame.
They did exactly that, even if they didn't record a hit and won in a fashion not seen in over 50 years.
For more Phillies news, head over to Phillies On SI.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!