PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nico Hoerner had the first two-homer game of his career and top prospect Kevin Alcántara notched his first big-league hit for the Cubs on Wednesday night in Philadelphia.
But the Phillies countered with plenty of power of their own in clinching a first-round bye for the National League playoffs.
Nick Castellanos, Trea Turner and Kody Clemens all homered, and the Phillies beat the Cubs, 9-6, to win the three-game series at Citizens Bank Park and clinch a first-round bye.
It was the final road game of 2024 for the Cubs, who finished 39-42 away from home and dropped to 81-78 overall with three games left.
The Cubs have an off-day Thursday then host the Cincinnati Reds for a three-game weekend series at Wrigley Field, all afternoon games, to wrap up the season.
The Phillies, on the other hand, will keep playing in the postseason after clinching two things during their series with the Cubs.
They claimed their first NL East title in 13 years on Monday night. Then, coupled with Milwaukee’s 2-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Philadelphia secured the bye and home-field advantage in the NLDS. The Phillies owned the tiebreaker with the Brewers after winning the season series against the NL Central champions.
Philadelphia will host Game 1 of the NLDS on Oct. 5.
“We just have to take it one step at a time and take care of business,” said Brandon Marsh, who drove in three runs for the Phillies on Wednesday night. “There’s nothing like it. This is why we show up. This is the stuff we dream about.”
Assad makes final start
Hoerner belted a three-run homer to left in the top of the fourth on Wednesday to pull the Cubs within 4-3 and a solo shot to lead off the sixth to make it 8-5.
But the Phillies had built too big of a lead off Cubs starter Javier Assad, making his final start of the season.
Assad was knocked around for eight runs on eight hits, with three walks and three strikeouts, in 4 1/3 innings. He allowed three homers.
After Hoerner’s first homer of the night and Cody Bellinger’s RBI single in the fifth had gotten the Cubs within 5-4, Marsh gave Philadelphia an 8-4 lead with a three-run double off Keegan Thompson in the bottom of the fifth.
All three runs were charged to Assad.
“We got into a jam in the fifth, and they got a big hit,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said.
Alcántara in right field and singled in the ninth for his first major-league hit.
Trainer’s room
Cubs: 1B Michael Busch (right triceps contusion) was not in the lineup, one night after being hit by a pitch in the second. … OF Seiya Suzuki (ankle) also was sidelined after getting injured running the bases on Tuesday night.
Up next
Cubs: Following an off-day, RHP Jameson Taillon (11-8, 3.41 ERA) starts on Friday against Cincinnati in the opener of a three-game home series.
First pitch at Wrigley Field is scheduled for 1:20 p.m.