Phillies Rally Late to Win Home Opener Against Rockies

PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Phillies staged a thrilling comeback, defeating the Colorado Rockies 6-1 in their home opener on April 1, 2025, in front of nearly 45,000 fans at Citizens Bank Park.

After trailing for most of the game, the Phillies turned the tide in the seventh inning. Bryson Stott‘s two-out double against Rockies reliever Scott Alexander set the stage for a pivotal moment. Manager Rob Thomson made a crucial decision, sending Trea Turner, who had been sidelined by back issues, to pinch-hit.

Turner, despite falling behind 0-2, worked a walk, allowing Edmundo Sosa to come up with two runners on. Sosa delivered a two-RBI double, powering the Phillies into a 2-1 lead. The crowd erupted as Kyle Schwarber followed Sosa with a colossal home run over center field, extending the lead to 4-1.

“It shows the depth of the lineup,” Schwarber said. “We always preach that it’s not gonna be one or two people. It takes a village to go where we need to go.”

The excitement continued in the eighth inning, with Max Kepler and Nick Castellanos launching back-to-back home runs, bringing the game’s final score to 6-1. The powerful outburst contrasted sharply with the Phillies’ earlier struggles against Rockies starter Germán Márquez, who had kept them scoreless for six innings.

“Going into my fourth year here, if we don’t score runs and we get into that bullpen, you feel like you’re one swing away,” Schwarber added.

Phillies starter Cristopher Sánchez struck out seven batters over 5 1/3 innings, allowing only a solo home run by Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman. Sanchez was relieved by Orion Kerkering, who secured the final two outs of the sixth inning before Joe Ross, credited with the win, pitched a scoreless seventh.

Key to the Phillies’ comeback was their ability to exploit the Rockies’ bullpen. They batted an impressive .386 against Colorado’s relief pitchers, a stark contrast to their .224 average against starters. Sosa now boasts a .545 batting average early in the season, further solidifying his impact following Turner’s absence.

In a light-hearted moment, Philadelphia Eagles players Brandon Graham and Saquon Barkley thrilled the crowd with ceremonial first pitches before the game. Graham even rallied the fans with his enthusiastic support as the Phillies made their comeback.

“It was nice to see the Eagles guys come out,” Thomson said, acknowledging the unexpected boost from the city’s football team.

Up next, the Phillies will continue their series against the Rockies on Wednesday, with RHP Zack Wheeler on the mound, looking to improve from his 1.50 ERA from previous outings.

The home opener proved to be a memorable night for the Phillies and their fans, with the late-game heroics setting an exciting tone for the rest of the season.