The Philadelphia Phillies clinched the National League East for the second straight year with Monday’s 6-5 10-inning victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. All-Star Bryce Harper was happy with the accomplishment but made sure to keep the ultimate prize in mind.
Harper’s outlook included an understanding of the Phillies’ past misses as well as a call to action.
“Every team that we've had in the last couple years, we've been really good,” Harper told ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez after the win. “It just hasn't happened. We just haven't finished with a win, and we've got to do that.
“We're a really good team,” Harper said. “I think we're playing really good baseball right now. Just got to keep going and keep understanding we have a bigger picture and we have things on our mind that we want to win.”
The Phillies have won 11 of 14 games this month and boast the sport's best record since the start of August. The New York Mets have struggled over the past few weeks and made Philadelphia’s path to the division crown less arduous than many anticipated.
After losing starting pitcher Zack Wheeler for the season, other members of the rotation have stepped up, and the lineup has continued to mash the ball.
“We keep pushing; we keep grinding,” Phillies All-Star DH Kyle Schwarber said. “It’s a lot of the same faces, right? Everyone knows and expects what we expect out of each other. I think that’s the great thing. We expect a lot out of ourselves.”
The Phillies are 90-61 on the season and have guaranteed that they will make their fourth consecutive postseason appearance.
