Kyle Schwarber becomes second Phillies player with 50 home runs in a season

Kyle Schwarber (YouTube)

History was made in the Philadelphia Phillies organization on Tuesday as Philadelphia Phillies  designated hitter Kyle Schwarber of Middletown, Ohio became only the second Phillies player ever to hit 50 home runs in a season. Schwarber accomplished the feat in a 9-3 Phillies win over the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. According to Paul Casella of mlb.com, Schwarber became the 34th player ever to hit 50 home runs in a season.

Schwarber’s 50th home run came in the bottom of the seventh inning, It was a three-run shot that scored second baseman Bryson Stott of Las Vegas, Nevada and center fielder Harrison Bader of Bronxville, New York. Schwarber’s home run went 437 feet off of Mets relief pitcher Justin Hagenman.

The first Phillies player to hit 50 home runs in a season was first baseman Ryan Howard of St. Louis, Missouri, who hit 58 home runs during the 2006 Major League Baseball regular season.

Schwarber is currently second in the Major Leagues right now in home runs. The major league leader is Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh of Cullowhee, North Carolina, who has 53 home runs.

On the season, Schwarber leads the Major Leagues with 123 runs batted in. He has 10 more RBIs than Raleigh and Mets first baseman Pete Alonso of Tampa, Florida, who are tied for second with 113 RBIs.

The Phillies are at 85 wins and 60 losses. They lead the Mets by nine games in the National League East and have the second best record in baseball. Only the Milwaukee Brewers at 89 wins and 57 losses are better.