Phillies Celebrate in Dodger Stadium After Major Win
LOS ANGELES — Upon the Phillies’ arrival on Tuesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, the remnants of the wild celebration from the previous night were nearly gone. The clubhouse carpet, soaked with light beer, appeared as good as new, and several White Barn candles, featuring a mahogany teakwood scent, were scattered around.
However, one sign of the festivities remained: Rafael Marchán, still dripping with alcohol from the prior evening’s party celebrating their latest National League East title, had torn his red Phillies undershirt. “It was a tight fit,” Marchán remarked the next day. Though he didn’t ruin it, it had transformed into a deep V-neck. A clubhouse staff member tossed it into the wash as Marchán learned from a coach that he would be catching that night.
“I’m ready,” he replied confidently. “F— it, let’s go.” Marchán wore the now-altered undershirt again and stepped up to bat in the ninth inning of a tie game due to J.T. Realmuto feeling ill. After taking four pitches from Dodgers right-hander Blake Treinen, he had a 3-1 count and prepared for his moment. Spotting a cutter inside, he swung hard.
The ball soared 362 feet, just enough to hit the top of a low wall in right field before bouncing into the stands—Marchán’s first career go-ahead, three-run homer. Struggling with excitement, he considered jumping near first base but didn’t want to risk falling.
“I was excited,” he shared, reflecting on the pivotal moment as the score shifted to Phillies 9, Dodgers 6, underlying how each game feels like the best win of the season.
Marchán, who stands at 5-foot-9 (though likely shorter), will always treasure this night. Throughout the season, he had started only 28 games, and his performance in Game 152 helped secure the Phillies a first-round bye. Having taken the season series from Los Angeles puts them 6.5 games ahead in the standings.
“It’s significant,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson stated. “We generally perform better at home, and that’s largely due to our supportive fanbase. Securing home-field advantage is vital.” The Phillies continued to display their strength against the Dodgers, despite struggling against Shohei Ohtani initially, before launching a comeback once he was substituted.
“He’s a remarkable talent,” Marchán noted. “We capitalized when the opportunity arose and won.” After trailing by four, they quickly turned the game with a six-run sixth inning. Marchán started the surge with a single, and teammates followed suit, resulting in a thrilling game as they look to carry this momentum into the postseason.
