Philadelphia Phillies at Arizona Diamondbacks: Stretch Run Begins

2006 Topps Philadelphia Phillies SGA #23

2006 Topps #418

Monday, August 31st - 9:40
Tuesday, September 1st - 9:40
Wednesday, September 2nd - 3:40

Chase Field - Phoenix, AZ
It's Teacher's Appreciation Night tonight at the ballpark with ASU Night to follow on Tuesday.

Philadelphia Phillies 77-60
2nd Place in the N.L. East, 5 games behind the Braves

Phillies Probables
Aaron Nola (5-10, 5.03)
Jesus Luzardo (12-5, 3.09)
Andrew Painter (3-8, 5.95)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Brandon Marsh - .274
Runs:  Trea Turner - 87
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 40
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 82
Stolen Bases:  Bryson Stott - 23

Wins:  Cristopher Sanchez - 16
ERA:  Cristopher Sanchez - 2.52

Strikeouts:  Jesus Luzardo - 203
Saves:  Jhoan Duran - 28

Arizona Diamondbacks 73-65
2nd Place in the N.L. West, 9 1/2 games behind the Dodgers

Diamondbacks Probables
Brandon Pfaadt (7-1, 3.51)
Eduardo Rodriguez (14-4, 2.50)
TBD

Diamondbacks Leaders
Average:  Gabriel Moreno - .302
Runs:  Corbin Carroll - 83
Home Runs:  Nolan Arenado and Ketel Marte - 21
RBIs:  Ketel Marte - 67
Stolen Bases:  Corbin Carroll - 20

Wins:  Eduardo Rodriguez - 14
ERA:  Eduardo Rodriguez - 2.50

Strikeouts:  Eduardo Rodriguez - 119
Saves:  Paul Sewald - 24

2026 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2026 Season Summary Index / 2026 Chachi Set Checklist

Philadelphia Phillies at Pittsburgh Pirates - Phils Need Some Wins

2005 Topps #312

2005 Topps #551

Friday, June 6th - 6:40
Saturday, June 7th - 4:05
Sunday, June 8th - 1:35

PNC Park - Pittsburgh, PA
The Pirates will host their annual Pride Night tonight with the first 10,000 fans receiving a Pirates x Progress PRIDE mini pennant.  On Sunday, all kids will be able to receive a free Smiley Cookie.  (Not sure what that is, but a free cookie is a win.)

Philadelphia Phillies 37-25
2nd Place in the N.L. East, 1 1/2 games behind the Mets

Phillies Probables
Joe Ross (2-1, 4.34)
Ranger Suarez (4-0, 2.72)
Cristopher Sanchez (5-1, 3.15)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Trea Turner - .300
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 44
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 19
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 45
Stolen Bases:  Trea Turner - 16

Wins:  Zack Wheeler - 6
ERA:  Zack Wheeler - 2.96
Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 94
Saves:  Jordan Romano - 8

Pittsburgh Pirates 23-40
5th Place in the N.L. Central, 16 1/2 games behind the Cubs

Pirates Probables
Bailey Falter (4-3, 3.14)
Andrew Heaney (3-4, 3.39)
Paul Skenes (4-6, 2.05)

Pirates Leaders
Average:  Andrew McCutchen - .249
Runs:  Oneil Cruz - 35
Home Runs:  Oneil Cruz - 12
RBIs:  Bryan Reynolds - 34
Stolen Bases:  Oneil Cruz - 22

Wins:  Bailey Falter and Paul Skenes - 4
ERA:  Paul Skenes - 2.05

Strikeouts:  Paul Skenes - 85
Saves:  David Bednar - 7

2025 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2025 Season Summary Index / 2025 Chachi Set Checklist

Cards from the 6th Annual @Section_36 Purge

2005 Topps Opening Day #145

2005 Bowman Gold #209

2005 Studio #214

2005 Topps Total #404

2005 Topps #420

As I was preparing this post, it struck me that this blog has another birthday coming up that will mark six years since I started on this internet based journey.  It's no coincidence that this is also the sixth year that Ron from Section 36 has sent me his Phillies cast-offs from ten years ago in his annual purge of decade old baseball cards.  Ron was one of the first virtual friends I made six years ago when I started this blog and I hope we get to meet up during our family's next visit to Fenway*.

There were some newer cards in Ron's package, along with some strange Roy Halladay action figure thing that's now perched on my son Doug's bureau**, but the highlight of the package were cards from 2005 that I had never seen before.  In 2005, I was newly married and we were saving our pennies to buy a new house.  There was little room in the budget for baseball cards which is why my 2005 Phillies binder is still the thinnest binder on my shelf.

Thanks again Ron and here's hoping the Phillies go easy on the Red Sox in the 2015 World S . . . oh forget it.  See you in 2016.  Or maybe 2017.

*Could be as early as next summer . . . we have trips in the works for this summer to Washington D.C. and Baltimore.

**What is this thing?

Memory Lane
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2004