Phillies run winning streak to nine games thanks to six-run rally in ninth inning

Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Phillies run winning streak to nine games thanks to six-run rally in ninth inning

By Adam Gretz | Last updated Aug 23, 2026 4:59 PM ET

The Philadelphia Phillies might be starting to play their best baseball of the season at the absolute right time.

They ran their current winning streak to nine consecutive games on Sunday afternoon with a 6-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, and they did it in dramatic fashion.

Phillies six-run ninth inning extends winning streak to nine games

After being shut out for the first eight innings of Sunday's game, the Phillies offense erupted in the bottom of the ninth thanks to a bases-loaded double by Edmundo Sosa that scored three runs and then a game-tying single by Bryan De La Cruz to score Sosa.

That set the stage for Kyle Schwarber to hit a game-winning, walk-off two-run home run.

Here is a look at his game-winning swing.

WALK-OFF SCHWARBOMB OVER THE BATTER'S EYE!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/O9YgxPWSac
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) August 23, 2026

That was a 459-foot home run over the batter's eye to give the Phillies the win.

All six runs came with two outs and help the Phillies stay as one of the hottest teams in baseball.

It is a complete 180 from where they were at the start of August when they were limping into the month as a fringe wild-card team in the National League.

On July 31, the Phillies were 6-4 losers to the Baltimore Orioles, falling to 57-53 on the season with losses in eight of nine games.

Since then, they have gone on a 16-5 run to put some serious distance between them and the pack of non-playoff teams in the National League.

They now hold the second wild-card spot in the league, with a four-and-a-half game cushion over the first non-playoff team. They are not yet a playoff lock, but they are certainly putting themselves into a position where they have some margin for error and some wiggle room.

Given their front-line starting pitching and some of the power bats they have in their lineup, it is not really a team anybody would want to see in a short series. Especially if they keep playing the way they have been.

Adam Gretz

Adam Gretz is a freelance writer based in Pittsburgh. He covers the NHL, NFL, MLB and NBA. Baseball is his favorite sport -- he is nearly halfway through his goal of seeing a game in every MLB ballpark. Catch him on X @AGretz

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