Brandon Marsh ignites Philadelphia Phillies’ victory over the Rangers as the team achieves the best 50-game start in franchise history.
The Philadelphia Phillies have consistently had standout performances during their impressive 36-14 start to the season, with different players stepping up each game.
On Wednesday, it was Brandon Marsh who shined. Marsh was instrumental in the Phillies’ 11-4 victory over the defending world champion Texas Rangers. His crucial outfield assist in the first inning prevented a potential rally from Texas. With Corey Seager on first and one out, Adolis García singled to Marsh, who threw a perfect strike to third base, nailing Seager and averting a crisis. This play energized starting pitcher Taijuan Walker, who then ended the inning without further damage.
After Marsh’s defensive gem, the game remained tied at 2-2, providing the Phillies with the momentum they needed. “Oh yeah, that was a good play,” Walker said. “I was screaming, too. Plays like that really carry the game over. That’s how you win games.”
The Phillies took the lead in the bottom of the third with J.T. Realmuto’s sixth home run of the season. They further extended their lead in the fourth inning when Edmundo Sosa hit a three-run homer off Rangers reliever Jonathan Hernandez. This put the game out of reach for Texas, solidifying the Phillies’ dominance.
Manager Rob Thomson praised Marsh’s defense: “He’s been really good. Somebody said he was the top-rated left fielder in baseball. He’s played extremely well and he’s had a couple assists over that time. He’s taking great routes, he’s very consistent. He’s a really good defender.”
The 2024 Phillies have set a franchise record with their best start in 142 years, going 36-14 in their first 50 games. This marks the best start since the 2001 Seattle Mariners and the best for a National League team since the 1998 Atlanta Braves. Reflecting on the Mariners’ success, Thomson added, “What did they do at the end? So you gotta keep going. You just gotta keep grinding and keep pushing all the way through.”
The Phillies are currently on a 28-6 run, a feat last achieved by the team in 1895 when Ed Delahanty was a standout player. With the confidence in the clubhouse at an all-time high, Realmuto commented, “I think we had this same feeling the last couple years. It just hasn’t happened until later in the year. It feels a lot like the second half of the last two years where we just got confidence. We know that any situation we’re put in, we can come through and have a chance to win every game. We just have confidence in ourselves and that just speaks to the culture that we built here.”
