Phillies NL East champions: Wild party against Dodgers!

The Phillies Celebrate the National League East Division Championship

Bryce Harper, shirtless, doused his head with champagne to celebrate the second consecutive National League East Division title for the Philadelphia Phillies. Kyle Schwarber celebrated by drinking beer directly from a hose, while his teammates fed the makeshift system in the visitors’ locker room, after the Phillies secured an exciting 6-5 victory in 10 innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night.

You have to enjoy this. This doesn’t happen all the time.

Kyle Schwarber

The Phillies hope this winning streak continues into October as they pursue the franchise’s third World Series championship, their first since 2008.

We are playing very good baseball right now and we just have to keep going and understand that we have a bigger picture. We have things in mind that we want to win.

Bryce Harper

With the second-place New York Mets idle on Monday, the Phillies needed the win to become the first division champion in Major League Baseball this season. They overcame three one-run leads before finally defeating the Dodgers, leaders of the National League West Division, achieving their ninth win in 11 games. Philadelphia had only connected one hit, Schwarber’s 53rd home run, until the seventh inning. However, Weston Wilson and Harper hit home runs, driving the Phillies’ comeback against the current World Series champions.

They are tough and resilient. They keep fighting, and I am proud of them. This is a truly special group.

Rob Thomson, Phillies Manager

After Dodgers’ Max Muncy was put out with a ground ball to end the game, the Phillies gathered near the mound to celebrate. They posed for a photo on the field while fans dressed in red cheered from behind their dugout at Dodger Stadium. The celebration was underway. This is the earliest division coronation in Phillies history, two days before the 2011 team that won the National League East on September 17. This team achieved it in game 151, the second fastest after those 2011 Phillies who did it in game 150. Philadelphia (90-61) has three consecutive 90-win seasons for the third time in franchise history.

I feel like we’ve done a great job this year. We’ve had a lot of significant injuries, and we just have that next-man-up mentality. I felt like the guys showed up, put in the effort right away, and got the job done. That’s how you win big baseball games.

Kyle Schwarber

Since the July 31st trade deadline, the Phillies are 29-14.

They lost their ace right-hander Zack Wheeler for the rest of the season when he was placed on the injured list a month ago due to a blood clot in his right shoulder. Wheeler was 10-5 with a 2.71 ERA in 24 starts when he was sidelined, but Philadelphia’s pitching depth has absorbed the loss. It certainly helped that the Phillies acquired closer Jhoan Duran and center fielder Harrison Bader from Minnesota at the trade deadline.

We’re a little different than we’ve been in the past. We can do some things. We’re going to hit hard, but we can also play a little small ball to win games.

Rob Thomson, Phillies Manager

All-Star shortstop Trea Turner (right hamstring strain) and third baseman Alec Bohm (left shoulder inflammation) are on the injured list. Thomson said Bohm could return later this week in Arizona, while Turner could be back in time for the final home series of the regular season. With the victory, Thomson is the third manager in franchise history to obtain consecutive division titles, joining Charlie Manuel (2007 to 2011) and Danny Ozark (1976 to 1978). Thomson is the fourth manager in Major League history to reach the postseason in each of his first four full seasons. Among the other three is Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

I don’t feel 62 at the moment. The last four years have been the most fun I’ve had in baseball. It’s because of the guys. They have a lot of fun.

Rob Thomson, Phillies Manager