The Philadelphia Phillies are NL East champions.
And they clinched the division in style.
In a game between potential playoff opponents that saw multiple lead changes, the Phillies rallied past the Dodgers in a thriller in Los Angeles Monday night for a 6-5 win in 10 innings.
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The victory ensured that they eliminated the New York Mets to clinch their second straight division title. With 11 games remaining on their schedule, the 90-51 Phillies hold a 12.5-game lead over the 77-73 Mets.
Bombs away, back-and-forth thriller
Philadelphia got on the board Monday with a first-inning solo home run by Kyle Schwarber, his NL-best 53rd of the season. It put him one behind Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh for the MLB lead.
From there, the game saw four lead changes and three ties until the Phillies ultimately prevailed in extra innings.
A Max Muncy home run helped spark the Dodgers to a 3-1 lead that stood until the seventh inning. There, a Bryson Stott RBI single and a Weston Wilson home run put the Phillies back in front, 4-3.
But Mookie Betts answered right back with a solo blast in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 4-4.
The Phillies again took the lead with a solo Bryce Harper home run in the eighth inning.
The Dodgers answered back with an Andy Pages solo shot in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to extras.
The Phillies then retook the lead in the top of the 10th on a sacrifice fly for a 6-5 advantage.
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A pair of walks then loaded the bases for the Dodgers in the bottom of the 10th with one out, putting pressure on reliever David Robertson and the Phillies defense.
But Robertson induced a popout from Miguel Rojas and a game-inning groundout from Muncy to ensure Philadelphia’s place atop the NL East.
The Phillies, obviously, are already in the playoffs.
The Dodgers are virtual locks to make the postseason, whether they maintain their two-game lead over the Padres in the NL West or clinch as a wild-card team, where they’d hold an 8.5-game lead for the final spot in the National League.
Either way, sign us up for more if this a a preview of things to come in the postseason.
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