With one of the club's icons taking perhaps his final bow in Philadelphia, it was easy to recall the Phillies' recent glory years. A new era of celebration may be near.
Scott Kingery homered and Carlos Santana hit a three-run triple in Philadelphia's five-run fifth inning, leading the Phillies to a 7-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday.
Rhys Hoskins also went deep for the Phillies, who increased their lead in the NL East to 1½ games over the idle Atlanta Braves by taking two of three in the series.
"That was really huge for us," right-hander Jake Arrieta said.
Fans cheered Chase Utley for the final time here before each at-bat, unless the Dodgers face the Phillies in the postseason. Utley, the beloved former Phillie and six-time All-Star who recently announced his retirement at season's end, helped lead Philadelphia to the 2008 World Series championship and five straight division titles.
Citizens Bank Park was a raucous place to be during those high-water seasons and could be again if the Phillies continue winning.
"I know what it was like and we all anticipate it being similar to how it was," Arrieta said. "Fans are hungry. This series was nice. Fans were out in full force."
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Arrieta (8-6) allowed two earned runs on five hits in six innings for the victory.
Max Muncy homered and Joc Pederson and Alex Verdugo had a pair of hits for Los Angeles.
"They beat us," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "We just got beat this series."
The game started less than 11½ hours after the final out of the Phillies' 7-4, 16-inning win that started Tuesday night and lasted 5 hours, 55 minutes, ending at 1:14 a.m. Wednesday.
Seranthony Dominguez recorded the final four outs for his 10th save in 11 chances.
Philadelphia broke the game open in the fifth.
Kingery pulled out of a slump with a one-out homer to right off Walker Buehler (4-3) to break a 1-all tie. He had 3 hits in his previous 18 at-bats. After a Jesmuel Valentin single and strikeout, Roberts intentionally walked Hoskins and replaced Buehler with left-hander Scott Alexander.
Alexander walked Odubel Herrera to load the bases before Santana's bases-clearing triple to the wall in right-center made it 6-1.
"We get one out there, it's a different ballgame," Roberts said. "Didn't work out for us."
Buehler was charged with five runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings. He had five strikeouts and one walk.
The Dodgers pulled within 6-3 in the sixth on Muncy's two-run shot to the opposite field.
After both teams failed to score in extra innings until Trevor Plouffe's three-run homer off position player Kike Hernandez in the previous game, both promptly scored a run in the opening inning Wednesday.
Matt Kemp's sacrifice fly scored Pederson, who went to third on one of two throwing errors in the frame by catcher Andrew Knapp.
Philadelphia tied it in the bottom half on Hoskins' one-out homer to deep left, giving the slugger long balls in four of five contests.
UTLEY UPDATE
Utley went 0 for 3 with a strikeout. He finished the series 1 for 8.
Following the game, Phillies owner John Middleton embraced Utley in front of the Dodgers' dugout and the second baseball got one final standing ovation while doffing his cap in every direction of the ballpark.
HOT JOC
Pederson batted .533 with three doubles, a homer and two RBIs in the three-game series.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Phillies have won 10 of 13 at home to increase their NL-best mark to 34-18 in their ballpark.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers: Los Angeles recalled right-handed reliever Pedro Baez (bicep) and placed lefty reliever Zac Rosscup (left middle finger inflammation) on the 10-day DL. Baez gave up a run in the eighth.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: LHP Rich Hill (3-4, 4.26 ERA) starts for Los Angeles on Thursday night against Braves RHP Anibal Sanchez (5-2, 2.76).
Phillies: Will start a left-hander for the first time since Sept. 28, 2016, ending a streak of 267 straight starts by a righty, when Ranger Suarez makes his MLB debut on Thursday night at Cincinnati. RHP Tyler Mahle (7-8, 4.32) goes for the Reds.
