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On April 18th, 2023, the Philadelphia Phillies faced off against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in what was expected to be a closely contested matchup. Both teams had started the season with identical 7-6 records, and were looking to gain an edge in the early stages of the season.
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The starting pitchers for the game were Aaron Nola for the Phillies and Zach Davies for the Cubs. Nola had been dominant in his first three starts of the season, allowing just one run in 21 innings pitched. Davies had struggled a bit, allowing 10 runs in 14 innings pitched.
The game began with both pitchers looking sharp, as they retired the first three batters they faced. In the top of the second inning, the Phillies broke through for a run. A leadoff single from Alec Bohm and a double from Didi Gregorius put runners on second and third with nobody out. A sacrifice fly from Odubel Herrera brought home Bohm, giving the Phillies an early 1-0 lead.
Nola continued to dominate the Cubs’ lineup, not allowing a hit until the bottom of the fourth inning when Ian Happ singled to center field. However, Nola was able to work out of trouble and keep the score at 1-0.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Phillies added to their lead. A leadoff single from Jean Segura and a walk to J.T. Realmuto put runners on first and second with nobody out. A sacrifice bunt from Nola moved the runners up a base, and a groundout from Bohm brought home Segura, making the score 2-0 in favor of the Phillies.
The Cubs finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth inning. After a leadoff walk to Jason Heyward, Willson Contreras hit a two-run home run to left field, tying the game at 2-2.
Davies was pulled after five innings, having allowed two runs on five hits while striking out four batters. He was replaced by reliever Rex Brothers, who pitched a scoreless sixth inning to keep the game tied.
In the top of the seventh inning, the Phillies retook the lead. A leadoff walk to Andrew McCutchen and a single from Bryce Harper put runners on first and second with nobody out. After a wild pitch moved the runners up a base, Segura hit a sacrifice fly to bring home McCutchen, making the score 3-2 in favor of the Phillies.
Nola was pulled after seven innings, having allowed two runs on four hits while striking out eight batters. He was replaced by reliever Archie Bradley, who pitched a scoreless eighth inning to keep the Phillies ahead.
In the top of the ninth inning, the Phillies added an insurance run. A leadoff single from Gregorius and a walk to Herrera put runners on first and second with nobody out. A wild pitch from Cubs reliever Ryan Tepera moved the runners up a base, and a groundout from McCutchen brought home Gregorius, making the score 4-2 in favor of the Phillies.
The Cubs tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the ninth inning, loading the bases with two outs. But Bradley was able to work out of trouble, getting a groundout from Happ to secure the victory for the Phillies by a score of 4-2.
The Phillies’ offense was led by Gregorius, who went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored, while Realmuto went 1-for-2 with two walks. Nola’s dominant performance on the mound was the key to the Phillies’ victory, as he was able to shut down the Cubs’ lineup for most of the game.
