Max Muncy’s Homer Pushes Dodgers Past Phillies

PHILADELPHIA – Max Muncy changed the game with one impressive swing on Wednesday night.

In a 9-5 win against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, Muncy launched a two-run homer in the sixth inning off Philadelphia pitcher Aaron Nola. This hit broke a 3-3 tie and ultimately secured the Dodgers’ lead.

With this homer, Muncy also moved into second place in the franchise home run rankings for the Los Angeles Dodgers, passing Ron Cey with his 229th home run while donning the Dodgers uniform.

Prior to Muncy’s turning point, the Dodgers had to claw their way back in this rubber match series. In the first inning, starting pitcher Eric Lauer surrendered a two-run homer to Alec Bohm, while Nola initially silenced the Dodgers’ hitting lineup with eight straight outs.

However, the tide began to turn when Dalton Rushing, batting ninth, broke a challenging 0-for-19 slump by hitting a solo home run in the third inning.

Rushing stood out again in the fifth inning, driving in two with a double that pushed the Dodgers ahead, 3-2. The Phillies then managed to tie things up briefly in the fifth, but Muncy quickly erased that uncertainty.

After Freddie Freeman hit his second double of the night—he finished with three hits—Muncy hammered a first-pitch changeup from Nola deep into left-center field.

This was Muncy’s third homer in as many games since the All-Star break—he’s now looking towards Eric Karros’ franchise record of 270 homers.

Dodgers’ Momentum

The Dodgers, now at 65-38, had briefly lost their place as the top team in the majors earlier in the week but bounced back, winning two consecutive series against formidable opponents like the Yankees and Phillies.

Muncy’s Resurgence

Before the All-Star break, Muncy had struggled, committing errors and hitting just one homer in a span of 24 games. Yet, since then, he’s turned things around, contributing significantly with runners on base. So far this season, he’s tallied 47 RBIs, many of which came in the last 35 games.

Defensively, Muncy also showed his prowess, making a diving stop near third base in the fourth inning.

Poor Base Running Haunts Phillies

On the other side, the Phillies’ base running issues resurfaced. They faced a frustrating game-ending double play and wasted scoring chances, notably in the fifth when Stott made a costly mental error attempting to advance on a ground ball.

After Lauer’s three-run outing, that marked the last time the Phillies managed to get a runner in scoring position during the game.

Looking Ahead

The Dodgers will take a brief detour on their East Coast trip, visiting the White House to celebrate their 2025 World Series win before heading to New York to take on the Mets. Roki Sasaki is scheduled to start against left-hander Sean Manaea in the series opener on Friday.