EditorsNote: Tweaked head; Added stats/notes at end of 2nd/3rd/5th grafs; Changed to 3-game series in 4th graf
J.T. Realmuto hit a grand slam, Bryce Harper homered twice and the host Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Chicago Cubs 11-1 on Wednesday.
Harper had three hits, three RBIs and two runs scored as he notched his second two-homer game in his last five games.
Phillies starter Aaron Nola (11-3) tossed seven strong innings and allowed only three hits and one run. He struck out seven with one walk.
Since hitting coach John Mallee was fired and former World Series-winning manager Charlie Manuel was given the job for the remainder of the season, the Phillies have taken the first two games of this three-game series against Chicago.
Kris Bryant homered for the Cubs' only run.
Cubs starter Cole Hamels (6-4) lasted only two-plus innings, allowing nine hits and eight runs in his first start in Philadelphia since July 19, 2015. Hamels won a World Series with the Phillies in 2008, when he was named the MVP of both the NLCS and World Series..
The Phillies took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Harper slammed a two-run homer to left-center field.
In the second, Nola ripped an RBI single to left, scoring Roman Quinn for a 3-0 advantage. Rhys Hoskins followed with a sacrifice fly to right and the Phillies went ahead 4-0.
The Cubs managed only two hits through the first three innings.
Philadelphia's offense continued to click in the third when Cesar Hernandez singled home Scott Kingery for a 5-0 lead. Adam Haseley added an infield single for a six-run lead, chasing Hamels from the game.
After reliever Alec Mills walked the pitcher Nola to load the bases, Realmuto hit a grand slam as the Phillies exploded to a 10-0 advantage. It was Realmuto's fourth career grand slam.
Harper's second homer of the game gave the Phillies an 11-0 lead in the sixth.
The Cubs didn't have a runner reach as far as second base through the first six innings.
Bryant put the Cubs on the scoreboard with a solo homer in the seventh to close within 11-1.
Chicago's Nicholas Castellanos singled with one out in the ninth as the rain started to steadily fall, but wound up stranded at third to end the game.
--Field Level Media
