Cristopher Sánchez dazzles in Phillies' series-clinching win vs. Tigers

Scott Lauber, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Aug 3, 2025

Published in Baseball

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

PHILADELPHIA — Edmundo Sosa stood on the infield, spikes planted in the dirt, unable to conceal a smile.

But the sigh of relief said it all.

Sosa had just backhanded a one-hopper and made a flat-footed throw from third base to home plate. Sounds easy, right? Well, except for the runner in the baseline who was blocking Sosa from a clear line of sight.

Maybe, then, the save in the Phillies’ 2-0 victory Sunday night over the Tigers should have been credited to Sosa, not new closer Jhoan Duran.

Because while Duran retired the side in the ninth inning — this time, he needed 12 pitches, after the four-pitch save in his Phillies debut Friday night — Sosa’s throw in the seventh inning preserved a one-run lead in another stellar start for Cristopher Sánchez.

With the Tigers’ Jahmai Jones racing toward home plate, Sosa made a pinpoint peg over Jones’ right shoulder. J.T. Realmuto gloved it and applied the tag.

And Sosa exhaled.

The Phillies (63-48) won the series against the American League Central-leading Tigers (65-48) and retook first place in the NL East by a half-game over the Mets.

Sánchez dazzled again, slicing and dicing the Tigers’ righty-heavy lineup with his sinker and signature change-up. He scattered five hits, struck out six batters and lasted eight innings to lower his ERA to 2.40.

But Detroit mounted a rally with back-to-back singles to open the seventh inning. With one out, Andy Ibañez hit a chopper to third base. If Sosa’s throw was off-line, the game would’ve been tied.

Kyle Schwarber provided Duran with a measure of breathing room with a titanic homer — his team-leading 38th of the season — off the batter’s eye in center field in the eighth inning.

Until then, the only run of the game came in the second inning against 41-year-old righty Charlie Morton, making his first start for the Tigers after being acquired at the trade deadline. Nick Castellanos singled to left field, went to third on Brandon Marsh’s double, and scored on a groundout by Max Kepler.