Maybe Marsh was a Little Too Harsh: Phillies 5 Cubs 1

The action began immediately, so quickly that NBC Sports didn’t pick it up right away. Kyle Schwarber started off the game breaking an 0 for 17 by roping a leadoff double to right.

Trea Turner then poked a sinker to right to score Schwarber. Turner was caught leaning off first base by Seiya Suzuki right was Schwarber was crossing the plate.

Brandon Marsh has struggled when pitchers go high and in on him but Jamieson Taillon’s cutter didn’t do the job.

The Chicago Cubs struggled to generate base runners the first time through their order. They didn’t have a hit until Nick Madrigal slapped a single to right with two outs in the third.

With Nico Hoerner up, Madrigal tested the arm of Garrett Stubbs with a huge payoff. Stubbs’ throw went into the outfield, allowing Madrigal to go to third.

Unfortunately for them, Ranger Suárez was able to get Hoerner to ground out to second to end the inning.

In the fifth, it was the Philadelphia Phillies daycare that got it going. Bryson Stott laid down a perfect bunt to third, giving Madrigal no chance. With Stott in first, it was Marsh again to make it 4-0 off a hanging curveball.

The Phillies came into this game ranked 21 in baseball with just 80 home runs on the season and only one guy with over 10, Schwarber with 20. Marsh swung a hot stick during the homestand but not with power like this.

Kody Clemens kept the rally going with a double to right center. Garrett Stubbs, who’s playing for JT Realmuto today, worked a walk to put runners on first and second.

After strikeouts from Schwarber and Turner, Nick Castellanos blooped a single over the stretching Hoerner to make it 5-0.

Suárez came into the game on an absolute tear through the month of June with a 1.04 ERA in 26 innings.

Tonight was no different for the Phillies left-hander, working his fastball in and out to both righties and lefties for quick outs. His curveball had been the go-to pitch this year but he limited it to just 9 through his first 93 pitches. Instead, he worked more cutters and of the back door variety which took advantage of a struggling umpire.

The seventh was maybe the best of the night for Suárez after Ian Happ worked a leadoff walk, he struckout the next three Cubs hitters. First, he snuck a sinker by Christopher Morel to get him looking, then got Dansby Swanson out in front on a changeup, finally the ump gave Suárez a generous strike three call to Trey Mancini on a cutter.

After 104 pitches and two bloop singles in the eighth, Suárez’s night was done with Hoerner coming up.

He immediately took a Gregory Soto fastball past the diving Stott into right field for the Cubs’ first run of the game. Soto then struckout the next two, blowing a 99 mph fastball right past Suzuki and getting Happ on a filthy slider, ending the Cubs’ threat.

After they stranded the bases loaded with two outs, Craig Kimbrel got the final three outs of the ninth to solidify a 5-1 victory.

Aaron Nola faces former Phillie Drew Smyly tomorrow night at 8:05 eastern standard time. Nola is coming off a big performance against the Atlanta Braves and is looking to turn around a disappointing start to his season.