Cubs cap sweep with 10-inning victory, deal Phillies ninth consecutive defeat

Lochlahn March, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Apr 23, 2026

Published in Baseball

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CHICAGO — On three occasions, the Phillies were 90 feet away from potentially stopping the skid.

They had the go-ahead run on third base in the eighth, ninth and 10th innings on Thursday against the Cubs but weren’t able to cash in. And when Chicago’s Dansby Swanson walked them off in the bottom of the 10th, the Phillies’ most persistent offensive effort in over a week ended with nothing to show for it.

The Phillies dropped their ninth straight game, 8-7.

They overcame an off day from their ace to tie the game, but never pulled back in front. The Cubs were able to make a lot of contact against Phillies starter Cristopher Sánchez, racking up 12 hits. It marked the most hits Sánchez has allowed since 2024.

Several of those were bloops or infield singles, but Sánchez also gave up two homers: a three-run shot from Michael Busch in the third, and a solo home run from Ian Happ in the fourth inning. In total, Sánchez was charged with six earned runs.

Sánchez’s change-up, which has a 55% swing-and-miss rate overall this season, only got nine whiffs Thursday, on 26 swings.

The Phillies’ offense was sparked by Brandon Marsh. The outfielder had a two-homer game with a pair of solo shots off Cubs starter Edward Cabrera. He picked up another RBI in the fourth inning with a single that scored Bryce Harper.

Marsh’s second homer sparked a three-run seventh inning for the Phillies. Bryson Stott followed it up with a single, and Alec Bohm hit a double to the right-field wall. The Phillies then had a lucky break with a fielding error from Alex Bregman that allowed Stott to score and Justin Crawford to reach. A sacrifice fly from Garrett Stubbs scored another run as the Phillies cut into the lead.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson stuck with Marsh against lefty reliever Hoby Milner in the eighth, and Marsh rewarded him by working a walk to keep the line moving. Thomson then opted to pinch-hit for Stott with Edmundo Sosa, and although Cubs manager Craig Counsell countered by bringing in righty Jacob Webb, Sosa punched a single to left field that tied the game.

They had the opportunity to take the lead, but Crawford struck out swinging to strand the bases loaded.

When Seiya Suzuki jumped on a fastball from former teammate Brad Keller for a solo homer in the eighth, pinch-hitting Adolis García struck right back in the ninth with a home run of his own. The Phillies, who did not draw a single walk in their loss on Wednesday, worked back-to-back walks in the ninth and had the go-ahead run at third base, but Marsh struck out on three pitches to end the inning.

A ghost-running Marsh was stranded at third base when the Phillies went down in order in the 10th. Tanner Banks pitched the bottom of the inning. He intentionally walked Suzuki, and Carson Kelly singled to load the bases. Swanson laced a single to right to end it.