The Phillies lost a 9-8 heartbreaker to the Red Sox on July 24, 2025. Bryce Harper hit his 350th career homer, but a costly error erased a 5-run lead.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a game that had everything: a massive early lead, a historic milestone, a shocking collapse, and late-game heroics. But in the end, the Philadelphia Phillies found themselves on the wrong side of a seesaw battle, falling 9-8 to the Boston Red Sox in 11 gut-wrenching innings at Citizens Bank Park.
Bryce Harper launched his 350th career home run into the second deck, a silver lining in a wild night at the Bank.
The night started with a bang, and then another, and another. The Phillies looked unstoppable, building a 5-0 lead powered by the long ball. Kyle Schwarber (his 34th), Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos, and Bryson Stott all went deep, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. But baseball is a cruel game. A misplayed pop-up by J.T. Realmuto in the fifth opened the door for a disastrous six-run Boston rally, capped by a soul-crushing grand slam from Romy Gonzalez that erased the lead in an instant.
Even in a loss, some moments shine brighter. In the first inning, Bryce Harper etched his name into the history books, blasting his 350th career home run. The two-run shot into the second deck was a testament to his superstar talent and a continuation of his recent torrid pace, which has seen him collect 13 extra-base hits in his last eight games. It's a monumental achievement for the face of the franchise, a moment of celebration in an otherwise frustrating evening.
After the fifth-inning collapse, the game became a battle of attrition. J.T. Realmuto, seeking redemption for his earlier error, delivered a massive solo shot off hard-throwing lefty Aroldis Chapman in the eighth to tie the game. It was the BCIB's first homer off a southpaw since September 20, 2023, and extended his hitting streak to nine games. The bullpen, however, was stretched to its limit. Seth Johnson, recently recalled from Lehigh Valley, was thrown into the fire in the 11th and unfortunately served up the decisive two-run homer to Carlos Narváez, taking the tough loss.
This one stings, there's no doubt about it. The loss narrows the Phillies' lead in the NL East and leaves the bullpen taxed. But there's no time to dwell on it, as the New York Yankees are rolling into town for a weekend series. The Phils will hand the ball to Taijuan Walker (3-5, 3.75 ERA) to set the tone against New York's Will Warren on Friday. It's time to shake off the heartbreak and get ready for another battle.
