By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Opposing St. Louis Cardinals (26-28) southpaw Genesis Cabrera in his MLB debut, the Philadelphia Phillies (33-22) offense came alive as the club produced a 11-4 rout Wednesday evening at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies now lead the NL East by 3 1/2 games, and are now 20-10 at home — matching their best 30-game start all-time at the venue (2011). The club has now won nine of their last 12 games and 20 of their last 31.
Andrew McCutchen (2), Bryce Harper (4), Cesar Hernandez (2) and Scott Kingery (2) each produced multiple RBI; Harper finished a triple shy of the cycle, including doubling for the 200th time of his career and slugging his 10th home run in a Phillies uniform.
Pure hustle for career double #200 for @bryceharper3. pic.twitter.com/TfDhs5n6bA
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) May 30, 2019
The Phillies matched their season high by slugging four home runs, including three in the fifth; Kingery and Maikel Franco went yard back-to-back, setting up McCutchen's two-run blast to give the club a 10-run lead. It was the second time this season that the Phillies hit back-to-back blasts, and the first time in two seasons they hit three home runs in an inning.
It all happened so fast. 😰#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/F8vK1yilt6
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) May 30, 2019
Phillies right-handed ace Aaron Nola improved to 6-0; in seven innings, he allowed just one run (Matt Wieters solo home run) on four hits, three walks and eight strikeouts. Nola tossed 102 pitches, 68 strikes, and induced 14 swinging strikes. Phillies rookie RHP J.D. Hammer made his second career appearance in the ninth, another 1-2-3 outing to secure the win and his first career game finished. He struck out two batters.
Can't touch this. #HammerTime pic.twitter.com/9GeN8k0aHR
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) May 30, 2019
The Phillies victory improved them to a season-high 11 games over .500, as well as bested their series record to 11-4-3; the club is also now 22-5 this season when they score first.
Game Notes:
In the last 100 years, the Phillies have had a better record after 55 games only 6 times:
39-16, 1993, .709
38-17, 1976, .691
37-18, 1995, .673
35-20, 2001, .636
34-21, 2011, .618
34-21, 1981, .618
33-22, 2019, .600
33-22, 1964, .600
33-22, 2009, .600— Reuben Frank (@RoobNBCS) May 30, 2019
- Attendance: 30,486
- The win secured the Phillies their third season series win (Cardinals, Colorado Rockies and Minnesota Twins).
- Nola is the first Phillies starting pitcher to begin the season 6-0 since Omar Dahl in 2001.
- Hernandez recorded his sixth error (throwing), opposed to the Cardinals' two errors.
- McCutchen became the third National League player — joining Barry Bonds (3) and Mike Schmidt (2) — in the live-ball era to produce multiple games with a home run, three-plus walks and four-plus runs, notes Stats By STATS.
Andrew McCutchen is the first #Phillies player to come to the plate at least four times in a game and score a run each time since Kevin Elster on Aug. 18, 1995. He is Philadelphia’s first leadoff man to do so since Denny Sothern on June 6, 1930.
— Ryan M. Spaeder (@theaceofspaeder) May 30, 2019
Andrew McCutchen is the first #Phillies ballplayer to score four runs in the first five innings of a game since Shane Victorino on July 6, 2009.
— Ryan M. Spaeder (@theaceofspaeder) May 30, 2019
- Harper was lifted from the game starting in the top of the sixth, after fouling a ball off his right foot. He was replaced by Nick Williams.
- To start the eighth, J.T. Realmuto replaced Rhys Hoskins at first — his first appearance at the position in a Phillies uniform. Andrew Knapp took over behind the plate, while Sean Rodriguez and Phil Gosselin respectively took over at shortstop (Jean Segura) and left field (McCutchen).
- Phillies reliever Juan Nicasio entered in the eighth and allowed three runs to score on three hits, no walks and one strikeout (20 pitches, 16 strikes): Marcell Ozuna RBI single, Wieters RBI double and Yairo Munoz RBI groundout.
- Cabrera's debut for the Cardinals marked him as the 2,000th player in club history.
Some were Browns, a few were Perfectos, but most were Cardinals.
From Ody Abbott to Ed Zmich and everyone in between, tonight we celebrate the 2,000 different players who have played for our organization since 1892. pic.twitter.com/PD87hW6Cs3
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) May 29, 2019
What's Next:
- Thursday, May 30, 2019: vs. St. Louis Cardinals, 1:05 p.m.
- Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pa.
- RHP Dakota Hudson (3-3, 4.22 ERA) vs. RHP Jerad Eickhoff (2-2, 3.86 ERA)
- TV: NBCSP, MLBN; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
