PSA: Cast your All Star votes - Phillies 8, Cubs 5

The Phillies’ held on for an 8-5 win to take game two of their stint at Wrigley, their third win in a row and the 17th win in their torrid month of June.

Nick Castellanos set the tone on the night and strengthened his case for an All Star selection with four RBI on a homerun and a double.

Alec Bohm led off the second inning with a single up the middle. Josh Harrison took Bohm’s place via a fielder’s choice before Edmundo Sosa connected on a 1-2 curveball from Smyly that carried out to the left field bleachers for a 2-0 Phillies lead.

Christian Pache and Trea Turner got aboard with a pair of singles to bring Castellanos to the plate. Casty took a 0-1 curveball for a similar ride as did Sosa.

5-0 Phillies and double digit homers for Nick.

The Cubs DH, Jared Young, made his 2023 debut to lead off the bottom of the third and absolutely crushed an 0-2 sinker to right.

Castellanos added his fourth RBI of the night on a short fly to shallow left field that dropped between four Cubs fielders for a double after some heady baserunning. Bryce Harper brought him home two pitches later with a single to right.

After allowing another solo shot in the bottom of the fourth, this time to Dansby Swanson, Nola worked out of a one-out two-on jam by inducing a double play grounder from Young.

Josh Harrison led off the top of the 5th with another homer to left, his second of the year.

Back to back singles and back to back walks by Nola brought in the third Cubs’ run. They would plate another on a ground out by Ian Happ before stranding two runners to end the inning and Nola’s evening. He went 5.0 IP on 97 pitches with four Ks and two homers.

Matt Strahm went 2.0 IP in relief of Nola collecting four Ks and allowing one hit. Yunior Marte pitched a perfect eighth.

Jose Alvarado got into a spot of trouble in the bottom of ninth, allowing back to back singles to begin the frame.

Control was clearly an issue for Jose. After a foul tip caught JT Realmuto in a vulnerable area, Alvarado missed with some pitches that were scored passed balls and allowed the runners to move up and a run to score, but if JT isn’t nursing an injury there’s a chance he reins those in.

With one out and a runner on third, Alvarado got the better of Cubs’ shortstop Nico Hoerner on a shallow fly out after a seven pitch battle before inducing a first-pitch ground out to third by Cubs’ centerfielder Christopher Morel to end it.

Phils go for the sweep tomorrow night before a trip home to play the Nationals this weekend.