Increased early attacking play and another impressive beginning contribute to the Phillies’ sixth consecutive victory.

The White Sox briefly took the lead in the series finale on Sunday when Eloy Jimenez connected with a high-speed 92 mph fastball from Aaron Nola, sending it over the left-center wall for a two-run homer, marking their sole lead of the weekend. However, within 20 minutes, the Phillies regained the lead and maintained it throughout an 8-2 victory, concluding an 8-2 homestand.

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Philadelphia’s response in the first inning was initiated by Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner drawing walks against rookie Nick Nastrini. Bryce Harper drove in a run with a single but got caught in a rundown between first and second while J.T. Realmuto struck out. Despite the White Sox’s deficiencies, including in defense, the play worked out in favor of the Phillies. Turner capitalized on the opportunity, heading for home, and second baseman Lenyn Sosa made an inaccurate throw, resulting in a run and allowing Harper to advance to second base. Harper later scored on Brandon Marsh’s RBI single.

In four of their last five games, the Phillies have tallied multiple runs in the opening inning, totaling 12 runs overall. While these games were against the White Sox and Rockies, recognized as the two weakest teams in baseball, their victories are not diminished—they all hold equal weight.

With six consecutive wins, the Phillies now stand at 14-8.

Manager Rob Thomson expressed satisfaction with the team’s response, especially against struggling opponents. He emphasized the importance of sustaining this momentum.

Kyle Schwarber showcased an impressive performance, drawing three walks, hitting a solo home run, and delivering a sacrifice fly.

Trea Turner extended his hitting streak to 10 games, maintaining a remarkable .419 batting average during this span.

Bryce Harper contributed with two RBI.

Alec Bohm continued his impressive performance with two more hits in situations with runners in scoring position (RISP), boasting a batting average of .355 in such scenarios since last season’s inception.

Realmuto, Brandon Marsh, and Johan Rojas each singled and successfully stole a base. The lone Phillie without a hit was Nick Castellanos, who notably contributed with three hits on Saturday night.

Looking ahead, the offense aims to maintain its momentum during the next four games at Great American Ballpark, renowned as one of the most hitter-friendly stadiums in baseball outside of Coors Field.

Following Eloy Jimenez’s first-inning home run, Nola efficiently navigated through the remainder of the game, conceding only two hits and a walk over eight innings while throwing just 91 pitches.

The Phillies’ rotation has excelled this week, providing much-needed rest for a bullpen that was heavily utilized in the initial two weeks of the season. Nola, in particular, delivered solid performances, allowing a total of three runs on eight hits across 15⅓ innings this week, marking the team’s weakest two starts.

Nola expressed his admiration for the rotation’s performance, highlighting their ability to pitch deep into games and emphasizing the importance of conserving bullpen arms for the long season ahead. Despite recognizing that not every series will be as successful as the past two, the team is currently in high spirits and enjoying watching their fellow pitchers excel.

Jeff Hoffman and Seranthony Dominguez have each pitched once in the past six days, while Gregory Soto has pitched once in the past seven days. Orion Kerkering has pitched once in the past eight days, and Matt Strahm has pitched once in the past nine days. Jose Alvarado has appeared in three games over the last nine days, but two of those outings were extremely brief, consisting of just one or two pitches.

Manager Rob Thomson expressed concern about balancing the workload of the bullpen pitchers. While it’s important not to overwork them, extended periods of rest can sometimes lead to rustiness, as seen with Yunior Marte’s performance when he pitched recently after a few days off. Thomson highlighted the challenge of managing bullpen arms, especially when the starting pitchers have been performing exceptionally well, as it can impact the bullpen rhythm.

Ranger Suarez will take the mound for the series opener in Cincinnati on Monday night, benefiting from an extra day of rest following his second career shutout last Tuesday.