The Union couldn’t make the most of Cavan Sullivan being allowed to play against Austin on Saturday, but they at least made something out of it.
Sullivan scored in the 18th minute of a 1-1 tie, in a game played amid 98-degree temperatures in Texas’ capital city. It had been 107 during the day, and the kickoff was pushed 30 minutes later to try to mitigate things a little.
It did, but only some. At the originally scheduled 7:30 p.m. local time, the thermometer read 101 degrees.
CAVAN SULLIVAN. 🔥
The 16-year-old finishes off the set piece with authority for @PhilaUnion!
Union interim manager Ryan Richter decided to send out the same starting lineup that started Wednesday against Miami at Subaru Park — and 10 of those same 11 also started in New York last Sunday.
The man who blew the opening whistle was also of interest. Referee Rodrigo Albuquerque was working just his second MLS game. His first was in mid-May. Albuquerque has spent the rest of this year officiating on a wide range of other American circuits, including the NWSL and second-tier men’s USL Championship.
Fortunately, he didn’t need to get too involved in the early stages. The teams took care of themselves, each scoring off a corner kick play. Sullivan opened the scoring with a header in the 18th minute, and Brendan Hines-Ike responded by beating Frankie Westfield on a jump in the 21st.
That would have been for the lead if not for a brilliant Andre Blake save on Myrto Uzuni’s attempt in the 14th minute, followed by Jon Gallagher shooting the rebound across Blake but hitting the far post.
14' | SAVE Andre Blake
Austin do such a good job playing out of the back. Mryto Uzuni strikes a good ball going for the bottom left corner, but Blake does a good job getting a strong left hand save to the shot.
Austin counterpart Davy Arnaud went for it in the 63rd, sending veteran strikers Brandon Vázquez and Facundo Torres in to seek a winner. They had been rested to start since Austin (5-10-6, 21 points) plays a Leagues Cup quarterfinal against Mexican power Toluca on Wednesday in northern New Jersey.
Richter made another double-sub in the 74th, Agustín Anello and Ezekiel Alladoh for Cavan Sullivan and Bruno Damiani. That shifted Quinn Sullivan to the right attacking midfield spot, and he promptly took advantage with a 21-yard smash that Austin’s Brad Stuver leapt to palm away.
Once again interim Ryan Richter hit all the right buttons with his substitutes tonight. Anello, Alladoh and Quinn Sullivan all combined for this Sullivan shot in the 75th minute.
Since returning back from injury, the 22-year-old has registered nine shots with four of them on… pic.twitter.com/urMZL1wo6d
The home team was inches from the lead in the 83rd when Blake made a rare fumble of a bouncing ball, but Pierre made one of his many clutch plays on the night with a clearance.
82' | HUGE clearance from Neil Pierre
Andre Blake makes a mess of this cross, with Neil Pierre clearing what would've been the go ahead goal for Austin.
Alejandro Bedoya was the last Union substitute, replacing Milan Iloski in the third of six minutes of second-half stoppage time.
Blake came up huge again in the 94th with a diving save on Uzuni, who had broken past a tiring Nathan Harriel. Then the Union (5-10-6, 21 points) went the other way, got a free kick, and Anello’s shot in the box was blocked.
That was finally the end of a long night, and a long week.
90+4' | HUGE ANDRE BLAKE SAVE!!
Andre Blake with his fifth save of the night, but none bigger than this right here as he denies Myrto Uzuni again and helps the Union take a point back to Philadelphia.
Jalen Hurts and the starting offense got the night off after getting plenty of work in two joint practices with the Patriots. Andy Dalton made his second straight start ahead of Tanner McKee. He was once again erratic as a passer. Dalton completed just 3 of 10 passes for 44 yards. He had a couple misfires in which he overthrew Eagles receivers on the first drive. Dalton had a strong throw to convert an early fourth down. But he failed to recognize an unblocked blitz in the second quarter and never looked in sync. He hasn’t done enough to win the No. 2 job.
McKee took over before the half. He was more effective than Dalton, but far from great. McKee was most productive when he got the ball out quickly or to running back Carson Steele. He struggled at times when he went beyond his first reads from the pocket. But he was decisive on schemed-up layups off play-action and misdirection.
In all, McKee completed 16 of 22 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. He held the ball too long and took a sack before the half. He also got pressured out of the pocket on third down in the fourth quarter and threw wide of his safety valve.
Rookie Cole Payton didn’t play until the Eagles’ last-gasp possession. He stepped back into a game-ending strip sack.
Eagles running back Will Shipley celebrates a touchdown with center Jake Majors during the second quarter on Saturday night.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Running back: A-
Tank Bigsby was one of several healthy Eagles who didn’t dress after playing in the preseason opener. That meant Will Shipley got the nod in the backfield. He picked up where he left off in a strong joint practice performance. Shipley rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. He ran with vision and motored 18 yards off the right on his first carry. Shipley kept his legs churning on a later 9-yard rush and on his 5-yard touchdown.
Steele looked nimble with the ball in his hands after short throws from McKee. He hurdled a defender on a 14-yard catch and run in the second quarter. Steele had the Eagles’ longest reception, for 28 yards, in the third quarter. And he scored a go-ahead 20-yard receiving touchdown in the fourth quarter. Steele finished with six catches for 84 yards. It was tougher sledding on the ground. He averaged just 2.8 yards a carry.
Receiver / Tight end — C-
Makai Lemon was still out with a hamstring injury. The Eagles are hoping their top draft pick will be healthy enough for the preseason finale on Friday. Hollywood Brown, like Bigsby, got the night off after playing a week ago. Elijah Moore was sidelined with a neck injury he suffered on Wednesday. Darius Cooper looked better than he did against the Ravens. He had a 25-yard pickup with yards after the catch on a short crosser in the first quarter. Cooper also converted a short fourth down with a 13-yard catch in the soft spot of a zone.
Eli Stowers has yet to pop. It’s still early for the rookie tight end. But it’s clear that he has a way to go as a blocker and a receiver. He had no chance vs. a Patriots edge on an early one-on-one block attempt. But Stowers helped clear out a lane for Shipley on his 5-yard score. He was covered on two targets through the air.
Eagles wide receiver Britain Covey scored on a screen pass before the first half ended.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Receiver Britain Covey scored a 14-yard touchdown just before the half when he navigated into the end zone after a screen pass. Quez Watkins couldn’t reel in a Dalton pass that was catchable. Cameron Latu had some nice moments as blocking tight end. He also had a 14-yard grab. Tight end Stone Smartt caught five passes for 37 yards. Receiver Erik Ezukanma committed a personal foul with a crackback block in the fourth quarter.
Offensive line: B-
Willie Lampkin started at center. He had several impressive moments when he climbed to the second level and bottled up linebackers. Drew Kendall started at left guard. He appeared to hold up as a run blocker, as well, particularly on Shipley’s touchdown. The interior pass protection was also solid when Lampkin and Kendall were in the lineup. They were pulled in the second quarter and are roster locks.
Rookie Markel Bell continued to show promise at right tackle. He helped create a hole on Shipley’s 18-yard tote. The 6-foot-9 Bell still has to work on getting out of his crouch, but he moves well for his size. He got upended at one point, but stayed in the game. Fred Johnson was Bell’s counterpart at left tackle. He didn’t allow any obvious pressure to Dalton’s blindside. It’s unclear if Bell or Johnson has done enough to be the clear swing tackle.
Jake Majors started at right guard and later played some center. He helped lead the way on Shipley’s 18-yarder. But he struggled with a block that led to a tackle for loss on a run play in the first quarter.
The second unit O-line was up and down. Tackles Myles Hinton and Cameron Williams and guards Micah Morris and Michael Jordan kept McKee relatively clean in the pocket. They had more issues in opening holes on the ground for Steele. Williams was the guilty party that allowed the game-ending strip sack of Payton.
Defensive line: B
Ty Robinson notched his second and third sacks of the preseason. He split the center and the left guard and gobbled up Patriots quarterback Tommy DeVito on the first and stunted outside and closed quickly for the second. Robinson is no longer “on life support.” He’ll make the final roster. Defensive tackle Gabe Hall drew a third-down holding penalty after running a twist on the Patriots’ opening series. He had several run stops.
Arnold Ebiketie and A.J. Epenesa started at outside linebacker. Epenesa was effective in setting the edge against the run. They each played just a few series. Jose Ramirez batted a pass incomplete on a naked bootleg in which he was unblocked. Joshua Weru registered a sack with a strong outside rush in the third quarter. In run defense, he got pushed around some when setting the edge.
Rookie Uar Bernard still has a lot to learn. But it’s not like the defensive tackle has looked alien out there. Tarron Jackson teamed up with another Eagles defender for a run tackle for loss in the third quarter. Zion Wilson drew a holding penalty on the first play from scrimmage. He had an early run stop for no gain.
Linebacker: C+
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. was in the backfield at the snap and DeVito had no chance to avoid a sack early on. He an additional four tackles before he was taken out in the second quarter. Smael Mondon took a bad angle on an early screen pass. He blitzed once and nearly got home.
Chance Campbell was on the field after Trotter left. He defeated a lead block to make a run stop near the line in the second quarter. He tallied seven tackles. Deontae Lawson showed occasional good instincts against the run. He got cut down on a 20-yard rush up the middle late in the third quarter.
Patriots wide receiver Nick DeGennaro scores a 37-yard touchdown past Eagles cornerback Isaiah Bolden late in Saturday’s preseason game.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Cornerback: D+
Mac McWilliams started on the outside opposite Kelee Ringo. He gave up a number of early catches and whiffed on a tackle attempt in the second quarter. Ringo should have had an interception on the first DeVito pass thrown in his direction. He didn’t give up much else.
Ambry Thomas had brutal back-to-back plays in the second quarter when he slid off a receiver and then got toasted on a go route by Patriots receiver Kyle Williams for a 69-yard touchdown.
Shaun Wade got beat for a 24-yard reception in the second quarter. He punched the ball out for a fumble in the fourth quarter and led the Eagles with 10 stops. Kapena Gushiken came up and made a few strong run tackles from the slot. Isaiah Bolden, who was just signed to the roster a few days ago, got burned on the Patriots’ game-winning 37-yard touchdown. There was no safety help
Safety: C+
Michael Carter II started at safety and played just one series.His versatility has assured him a spot on the team.Rookie Cole Wisniewski played in his first NFL game after missing a few weeks of camp. He looked solid upon first glance and had four tackles. Wisniewski and Andre Sam didn’t get beat in the post. Sam made a number of plays near the box. He’s had a solid summer and could sneak onto the 53, or at least the practice squad.
Maximus Pulley has been one of the more promising undrafted rookies. He didn’t stand out, good or bad, at safety. He’s also a nice special teams performer.
Special teams: B
Ja’Quinden Jackson suffered a serious injury on the opening kickoff of the game. The Eagles running back required medical attention from both teams and eventually had to be placed on a stretcher and taken away in an ambulance to a local hospital. The team later said he had strength and movement in all his extremities.
Kicker Jake Elliott connected on all three extra points. The Eagles’ kickoff coverage was sound. Punter Braden Mann averaged 42 net yards on four boots. Covey muffed his first punt return, but was able to avoid a fumble. He bounced back with a 21-yard return on his next try. In all, Covey averaged 9.5 yards on four returns.
Nick Sirianni shown before the Eagles-Patriots preseason game.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Coaching: C
Nick Sirianni, to no surprise, opted to not dress his starters on both sides of the ball. Patriots coach Mike Vrabel did the same. The Eagles looked more cohesive and prepared than they did a week ago, although it’s difficult to place much stock in the preseason. They still lost another game. Aside from Jackson, there weren’t any apparent significant injuries.
Offensive coordinator Sean Mannion called plays from the booth a week after doing so from the sideline. He favored the ground game with Shipley and the O-line having early production. The dropback pass game left much to be desired, however. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s group was relatively sharp. The front seven was physical and got push and penetration. There were some sloppy moments throughout the game, as was to be expected.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Three days ago, Vic Fangio blasted Ty Robinson with a backhanded compliment when asked about the defensive tackle’s strong first preseason game.
“Yeah, he came to life,” Fangio said. “He’s been on life support since he’s been here, but he came to life and hopefully that will continue.”
After Saturday, it’s clear Robinson is alive and well.
The 25-year-old put on a show in the Eagles’ 24-21 preseason loss vs. the Patriots at Gillette Stadium, logging two sacks, four tackles, and three quarterback hits. Through two preseason games, Robinson now has three sacks, four quarterback hits, and three tackles for loss.
Eagles defensive tackle Ty Robinson sacks Patriots quarterback Tommy DeVito during the second quarter on Saturday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
So, did Robinson hear what Fangio said?
”I did,” Robinson said. “And you know what, I’ll take that as a compliment. He’s not wrong. Last year I had to find myself. I was on a scout team just understanding how the NFL worked and going up against a pretty good offensive line, so getting to work against those guys and just get better. It’s obviously showing that it’s helped.”
Fangio’s analysis wasn’t wrong. The 2025 Eagles fourth-round pick (111th overall) was buried on the depth chart a year ago, logging just 34 defensive snaps and totaling five tackles and one QB hit.
At the beginning of training camp, he took reps with the developmental group — a clear sign he was sliding down the depth chart. The ex-Nebraska standout looked like a candidate to miss the 53-man roster all together.
Everything changed with a string of great practices and an excellent preseason showing.
Early in the first quarter last Saturday, Robinson blew past Ravens guard Emery Jones Jr. to sack quarterback Tyler Huntley. In the days leading up to the Ravens game, Robinson showed his ferocity in another way when he had a brief skirmish with guard Tyler Steen after a one-on-one rep.
Against the Patriots, Robinson ran the same stunt twice to bring down quarterback Tommy DeVito two times in the second quarter.
The Eagles still have a loaded defensive tackle group. Don’t expect Robinson to dethrone Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo or even Byron Young anytime soon.
But for the first time since he turned pro, Robinson is showing promise — which surely pleases general manager Howie Roseman, who spent an early Day 3 pick on him last year.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — It would’ve been a heartbreaker for the Eagles, but alas, it’s the preseason.
The Eagles gave up a four-point lead in the final minute of their second game of the exhibition slate against the New England Patriots. Patriots quarterback Behren Morton completed a 37-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Nick DeGennaro over the head of Eagles cornerback Isaiah Bolden to win, 24-21.
Here’s our instant analysis from the Eagles’ second game of the preseason:
Tanner McKee did a good job engineering the Eagles quick passing game on Saturday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Tanner Time?
Two games into the preseason, the momentum in the backup quarterback competition could be shifting.
Andy Dalton started for a second straight week, seemingly an acknowledgment that he’s ahead of Tanner McKee in the competition for QB2. But again, Dalton failed to impress through three possessions.
On 21 plays, Dalton went 3-for-10 for 44 yards. He was nearly intercepted twice by Patriots cornerback Kindle Vildor. The ball hit the ground on one of Vildor’s would-be picks, and on the same play, outside linebacker Gabe Jacas was flagged for roughing the passer.
On the ensuing play, Dalton had another close call when his pass for Quez Watkins over the middle of the field almost ended up in Vildor’s hands.
Meanwhile, McKee improved upon his performance in the preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens. On 36 plays, he went 16-for-22 for 173 yards and two touchdowns, good for a 125.8 quarterback rating.
He was nearly perfect on the Eagles’ scoring drive just before the end of the first half, completing three of four passing attempts for 44 yards and a touchdown. Each of his three completions — 16- and 14-yarders to Carson Steele and a 14-yard touchdown pass to Britain Covey — were short passes in which the receivers picked up ample yards after the catch.
McKee almost made it a second touchdown pass in the third quarter. He attempted to find E.J. Jenkins in the left corner of the end zone on fourth-and-3 at the 9-yard line, but the 27-year-old tight end dropped the pass.
He completed his second touchdown throw late in the fourth quarter to Steele, a 20-yard catch-and-run that put the Eagles up, 21-17. He helped bail the Eagles out from a pair of penalties on the drive — an Erik Ezukanma illegal crackback block and a false start — by completing two passes to Ezukanma for a total of 24 yards and the touchdown pass to Steele.
After the game, Nick Sirianni said that “everything is accounted for” in the competition for the QB2 gig, not limited to preseason performance. Dalton is taking fewer snaps in the preseason, Sirianni said, because he has more experience in similar systems to Sean Mannion’s.
“I think both the guys are battling,” Sirianni said. “I’m really confident in both the guys. And we’ll see where that goes. Again, like I said, that’s still a competition.”
Cole Payton, the rookie fifth-round quarterback out of North Dakota State, took over with less than a minute remaining in the game. He was strip-sacked on the third play of the drive, with the Patriots recovering the fumble to secure the win.
Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. sacks Patriots quarterback Tommy DeVito in Saturday’s preseason game. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Back-to-back sacks
Another week, another standout performance from a pair of young defensive players.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. may not be poised for a starting role behind Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell, neither of whom played on Saturday. But the 2024 fifth-round inside linebacker out of Clemson continues to make an impact in the preseason on minimal snaps.
On the Patriots’ second possession of the night, Trotter gave Patriots quarterback Tommy DeVito fits. On third-and-3, DeVito fled the pocket with Smael Mondon and A.J. Epenesa in the backfield. Trotter ran from the defensive left hashes to the right side of the field outside of the numbers to tackle a scrambling DeVito, limiting a would-be double-digit-yard gain to just seven yards.
Two plays later, Trotter blitzed the “A” gap unblocked and sacked DeVito seemingly in an instant for a loss of four yards.
“As far as my career, that was probably the fastest [sack],” Trotter said. “I was surprised how it split open like that. But I was able to get good timing on that blitz. So it worked out nice.”
Defensive tackle Ty Robinson also reprised his strong preseason performance against the Ravens. Last week, he had one sack. On Saturday, he notched two on DeVito.
Halfway through the second quarter, Robinson beat Patriots left guard Mekhi Butler on the first sack for a loss of nine yards. Later in the second, the 2025 fourth-round defensive tackle out of Nebraska had another sack, this time on a stunt with Jose Ramirez on the right side of the line.
“That was Coach Vic [Fangio]’s play call,” Robinson said. “Jose’s an awesome person to run those types of games with. And he really did a great job coming in there and picking the guard for me to wrap around and that tackle stayed on him. So I told him I owed him one, especially since we ran two in a row. So I told him I’ve got him next time.”
Will Shipley and the Eagles running game posted an encouraging effort in Foxborough. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Sail the Ship, Steele the show
After Eagles running backs combined for just 31 yards on 11 carries (2.8 yards per carry) against the Ravens, the entire rushing unit fared better on Saturday.
Will Shipley and the game’s starting offensive line — which included left tackle Fred Johnson, left guard Drew Kendall, center Willie Lampkin, right guard Jake Majors, and right tackle Markel Bell — dominated the Patriots defensive front.
On the second Eagles possession of the game, the offense rode Shipley into the end zone. He had seven carries for 30 yards on the drive, including a 5-yard touchdown run up the middle behind the stellar blocking of Kendall and Lampkin that put the Eagles up, 7-0.
Shipley finished the night with 11 carries for 56 yards (5.1 yards per carry).
Steele, the 2024 undrafted free agent out of UCLA who spent the last two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, picked up where Shipley left off. He had some solid runs, but he was particularly eye-catching as a pass catcher.
After the two-minute warning in the first half, Steele caught a check down three yards behind the line of scrimmage on first-and-10 from the Patriots’ 28. Steele scurried downfield, hurdling Patriots cornerback Brandon Crossley in the process.
Late in the fourth quarter, Steele scored the go-ahead touchdown on another short pass from McKee. Steele turned two yards into 20 with his legs, bolting into the end zone and pulling the Eagles ahead, 21-17.
Steele had 12 carries for 33 yards (2.8 yards per carry). He was also the Eagles’ leading receiver with six catches for 84 yards and a touchdown.
“I had a blast,” Steele said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get the win, but we executed a lot more things. Definitely took our game up a level from last weekend. Just got to keep progressing from there.”
Eagles running back Ja’Quinden Jackson is taken off the field in a stretcher after suffering an injury on the opening kickoff Saturday night. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Injury report
Eagles depth running back Ja’Quinden Jackson was stretchered into an ambulance on the field after going down during the opening kickoff. The team announced later in the first quarter that he had strength and movement in all extremities and he was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.
Mac McWilliams, the 2025 fifth-round cornerback out of Central Florida, visited the medical tent in the first half. He eventually headed indoors and did not return to action.
Bell, the 2026 third-rounder out of Miami, also visited the medical tent in the first half. He remained on the bench but did not return to action.
A few short weeks ago, the Phillies struck out looking for a back end starting pitcher at the trade deadline.
Three days prior, out of options for the fifth slot in their rotation, the team recalled top prospect Andrew Painter, who’d struggled through his first go-round in the majors.
On Saturday against the Cardinals, Painter showed exactly why the Phillies and everyone else were so high on him in the first place, striking out eight in a one-run, seven-inning performance in the Phillies’ 12-3 win, the best start of his major league career.
“The whole outing today, he looked like — he was a dog on the mound,” J.T. Realmuto said. “He wanted to get guys out. He wanted to attack the strike zone. He looked really confident out there.”
Painter earned a big standing ovation from the Citizens Bank Park crowd after throwing the last of his 102 pitches.
“The guy we saw today, the ceiling is so high for him,” Realmuto said. “If he has that demeanor and that much confidence on the mound, he can be whatever he wants in this game.”
Painter gave up just one run in the sixth inning, an RBI single from Alec Burleson.
Since his 2024 Tommy John surgery, Painter has been trying to rebuild his fastball, which was identified as his best weapon as a prospect. He threw 32% of his fastballs for either called strikes or whiffs on Saturday.
“It doesn’t look as hittable,” interim manager Don Mattingly said. “ … I think one of the things they talked about is him working sideways when he was here. I don’t know. I look at it from a hitter standpoint, guys that are going sideways, they’re dragging the barrel. Pitchers, when they’re going sideways, they’re dragging the arm, and they’re also showing the ball early.”
The Phillies worked with him on getting down the mound, and also on “letting go” and being more aggressive.
After a blow-up first inning in his last start in Minnesota, Painter said he focused on using that first inning against St. Louis to attack and win the at-bats, instead of “falling into the trap” of using it to “feel stuff out.”
He started Saturday’s game with a 1-2-3 inning, including two strikeouts. Painter didn’t walk a single batter and generated 20 whiffs total. He also made heavy use of his new changeup, something he worked on in his stint in triple A. He got six whiffs and averaged 92 mph on the pitch.
Having that changeup in the mix, which he threw 28 times compared to 25 fastballs, could be helping his fastball tick back up where he and the Phillies want it.
Andrew Painter fired off the best start of his career today!
After struggling to find his pre-injury fastball shape, Painter showcased a stupendous 4-Seam which exhibited +2" iVB compared to prior starts. If these traits hold Painter could be a postseason menace for the Phillies pic.twitter.com/4cUDOnpINm
“It tends to widen out the fastball grip, probably a bit less forearm fatigue, but I think it’s harder, and it moves more too,” Painter said. “Being able to play those two pitches off of each other helps a lot.”
Even deep into the seventh inning, Painter threw a 99.6 mph fastball on his 100th pitch.
“There’s a lot of mechanical things that lead to a little bit more gas in the tank later in the games,” Painter said. “ … I know that’s probably my last at-bat. I didn’t want to walk off that mound with anything left in the tank.”
Brandon Marsh (left) greets Kyle Schwarber after Schwarber’s solo home run in the eighth inning.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
But the Phillies didn’t even need a gem from Painter to pick up the win, thanks to their thriving offense. The Phillies have long been a team that relied on the long ball, but by the time Bryce Harper hit the Phillies’ first home run of the game in the sixth inning, they’d already scored eight runs thanks to their small-ball game.
Alec Bohm, who hit the walk-off triple in Friday’s win, stayed hot in the first inning, knocking a single to left to score the Phillies’ first run after Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner walked and singled to get on base. Edmundo Sosa followed with a double to make it 3-0 in the first.
In the third, Bohm, Sosa, and Luis Arraez loaded the bases with singles, then Bryan De La Cruz knocked in two more runs with a single. J.T. Realmuto added a sacrifice fly, and Derek Hill doubled to put the Phillies up by 7-0. Schwarber added another sacrifice fly in the sixth, followed by Harper’s three-run homer. Schwarber homered in the eighth off position player Pedro Páges to cap off the Phillies 12-3 win.
Arraez was removed from the game with lower body cramps in the third inning. Hill was removed with neck stiffness in the sixth. Both will be evaluated.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Eagles running back Ja’Quinden Jackson was stretchered into an ambulance on the field after the opening kickoff of Saturday night’s preseason game against the New England Patriots.
Jackson, 24, went down on his back during the play and appeared to go into a fencing position. Medical trainers placed Jackson onto a backboard, and then a stretcher, before he was wheeled into the back of an ambulance that drove onto the field.
Later in the first quarter, the Eagles announced that Jackson has strength and movement in all of his extremities. He was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.
Early Sunday morning, the Eagles said Jackson returned to Philadelphia with the rest of the team.
“It’s always a tough thing to [see] and we’re always praying for him,” Eagles running back Carson Steele said after the game. “But he was supposed to be out there a lot tonight, too, as well. He’s a great athlete, great player. Just had to go out there and do it for him and do it for the rest of the team as well.”
The Eagles signed Jackson on Aug. 10. The 2025 undrafted free agent out of Arkansas spent his rookie season on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad.
The entire Eagles sideline came on the field to support Ja'Quinden Jackson before he was stretchered into the ambulance. pic.twitter.com/XQ78dIgmIL
The Phillies haven’t faced a true left-handed starting pitcher since Aug. 15, a full week ago. After facing Quinn Mathews on Saturday, they’re not set to face another anytime soon.
That’s why Bryson Stott, who’s hitting .317 with a .905 OPS in August, wasn’t in the starting lineup against the St. Louis Cardinals. Neither were Brandon Marsh or Justin Crawford. Derek Hill, Bryan De La Cruz, and Edmundo Sosa got the start in their place.
“I’ve just got to keep everybody in the mix a little bit,” interim manager Don Mattingly said. “We hardly see any lefties right now, and these guys got to be ready to play. If I don’t ever put them in there, it’s tough. He doesn’t need a rest. He’s fine. It’s just trying to keep everyone in the mix.”
Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly says he wants to keep other players fresh, especially against a run of right-handed starting pitchers.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Stott, despite being a lefty hitter, actually has hit lefties better than righties this year, hitting .301 with an .839 OPS against lefties vs. .251 and .727 against righties. Saturday was the first game he hasn’t started since the All-Star break.
The Mariners are set to throw three righties when the Phillies roll into town. The Cardinals haven’t released their starting pitcher for Sunday, but Matthew Liberatore, the rotation’s only lefty, pitched on Aug. 19, so he almost certainly won’t take the mound for the series finale.
Reliever Tanner Banks has been on the injured list since July 9 with a left forearm strain, but he threw about 30 pitches in a live bullpen session before Saturday’s game.
Mattingly said if Banks continues to feel good, he could go on a minor-league rehab assignment during the Phillies’ road trip.
Before the injury, Banks was in the middle of by far the worst season of his major league career, with a 7.14 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP in 28 appearances, compared to a career 4.01 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. Per Statcast, his expected ERA is only 4.41, which would be his second-worst ERA, but it indicates he could be due for some positive regression.
Phillies pitcher Tanner Banks has been on the injured list since July 9 but threw a live bullpen session on Saturday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
When he returns, Mattingly said the Phillies are still considering all options for how to use him, including in a bulk role.
“The last time he went down, we did think about bulk a little bit, obviously he’s throwing 30 pitches [Saturday],” Mattingly said. “I don’t think it would be all one-inning stints in the minor leagues. They’re going to try and get him one-plus, build him up, as long as he’s ready for that.”
Kyle Schwarber took a few grounders pregame at first base, but Mattingly said there haven’t been any recent conversations about giving Schwarber another game at first. Schwarber has appeared in four games at first, most recently on Aug. 10.
“He may be thinking that because he came out here today,” Mattingly said. “Usually when he comes out, he might be thinking that, but we haven’t really talked about it.”
Pregame, Schwarber met with Brandon Graham and Joe Eitl, a heart and liver transplant recipient, who threw out the first pitch pregame with the Gift of Life Donor Program.
SEPTA is eliminating seven bus routes, debuting two new ones, and adjusting more Sunday as the first phase of a bus network redesign gets underway.
In all, riders will find changes to 30 routes, including more frequent service on those with high ridership, and buses coming less often on some lower-performing routes.
Highlights include:
Routes 35, 47M, 62, 78, 80, 89, and 106 will disappear. SEPTA says they are less used or have nearby alternatives for passengers.
The new Route 72 will connect Frankford Transportation Center and Cedarbrook Plaza, running mostly along Cheltenham Avenue.
Route 76, the second new route, will travel between South Philadelphia’s Columbus Commons shopping center, anchored by Ikea and Lowe’s, and the intersection of Rising Sun and Olney Avenues.
SEPTA is using this graphic to summarize bus-route changes at a glance for the first phase of the redesigned system.SEPTA
SEPTA launched its bus system redesign efforts in earnest after ridership declined 13% from 2013 to 2019, a drop attributed to slow speeds, reliability problems, and competition from rideshare companies. And that was before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Originally called Bus Revolution, SEPTA’s redesign was set to launch in 2025 but faced significant community pushback and coincided with the state funding crisis that halted many planned transit initiatives. It was officially shelved in November 2024.
Along with the additions and subtractions, there are a few route extensions:
Route 45 will extend southward to serve the Navy Yard, the first time in a decade that a bus will serve the development seven days a week. There will be nine stops inside the Navy Yard for the 45. Currently, the route ends at Broad Street and Oregon Avenue. Route 17 will no longer stop at the Navy Yard on weekends.
Route 79, which ended at Snyder Avenue in South Philly, will cross the Schuylkill, go through Grays Ferry and University City, and end at 40th and Market Streets, where there is a stop on the L train, SEPTA’s new name for the Market-Frankford Line.
Route 53 is to be extended both east and west, to connect the Carpenter Regional Rail station on the Chestnut Hill West Line and the Richmond-Westmoreland Loop, via Aramingo Avenue. The 53 will no longer serve the Broad Street-Hunting Park Station on the B subway.
SEPTA says it is redesigning the bus network to modernize an outdated route structure and enable more efficient travel.
“We function as a network,” said Brandon Miller, manager of planning programs at the transit agency.
The changes will require riders to transfer to other bus routes, as well as metro trains, more often than they do now. And discontinuing low-ridership routes while beefing up popular ones is a needed trade-off to strengthen the overall system, Miller said.
Additional rounds of changes are scheduled for February and June 2027, with a fourth round in the fall.
A tornado touched down in Downingtown during a barrage of severe storms Thursday evening, the National Weather Service confirmed Saturday.
The tornado landed in the Chester County borough at 5:40 p.m. Thursday, the weather service said in a statement, as major thunderstorms passed through the area.
The twister was considered an EF-0, which is considered the least destructive on the Enhanced Fujita rating scale. The tornado touched down for less than a minute, according to the weather service, traveling just over a fifth of a mile along Quarry Road near the Quarry Crossings commercial development. Its winds reached speeds of 60 to 70 mph and brought down several tree branches, the weather service said.
Downingtown’s tornado was one of three to land in the region on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. A slightly more intense EF-1 tornado touched down in Dover, Del., at 6:09 p.m., while a tornado with an unknown Enhanced Fujita scale rating occurred at 4:41 p.m. in Estell Manor, in Atlantic County, N.J., about 19 miles inland from Ocean City.
The tornado in Dover lasted roughly five minutes and traveled just over three miles with winds ranging from 100 to 110 mph, the weather service said. After landing in an open field, the twister caused “extensive damage” to the Dover Little League baseball diamonds at Schutte Park, the weather service said: Two scoreboards were crushed or knocked down, and several lighting fixtures were snapped.
Then the tornado struck the Van Sant Generating Station — a power plant owned by the City of Dover located across from Schutte Park — before zigzagging through downtown Dover, where it downed trees. The tornado dissipated at the intersection of Kings Highway and North DuPont Highway after peeling the roof off a motel, the weather service said.
The tornado in Estell Manor lasted approximately 30 seconds or less, according to the weather service, and landed in a wooded area across from the Great Egg Harbor River. There were no reports of associated damage.
Thursday’s storms were the latest in a summer marked by intense wind and rain. The storms arrived in the Philly region just after 5 p.m. and set off a barrage of flash-flood warnings for Philadelphia, the Main Line, and sections of Delaware and New Jersey. Portions of Delaware and Chester Counties were also under tornado warnings.
The downpours led to flash floods that made many streets impassable in the Montgomery County townships of West Norriton and Lower Providence, according to the weather service. And in Chester County, fallen trees cut off sections of heavily trafficked Route 322 in Honey Brook.
The forecast for the rest of the weekend was looking similarly wet.
“Multiple rounds of scattered showers and thunderstorms expected through tomorrow afternoon,” the National Weather Service at Mount Holly wrote Saturday on X, and forecasters “cannot rule out a few strong to severe thunderstorms” for Sunday.
A man was killed early Saturday when he walked onto the road and was struck by an SUV in the Logan section of Philadelphia, police said Saturday.
The Philadelphia Police Department said it is investigating the fatal crash, which happened at 20th Street and Belfield Avenue. The Y-shaped intersection is located near La Salle University.
Around 1:50 a.m., a white Jeep Cherokee driven by a 41-year-old man was traveling south on 20th Street, police said.
The Jeep was attempting to go around a stopped vehicle when a pedestrian stepped into the roadway, police said. It struck the 36-year-old man, “causing critical injuries.”
Fire department medics took the man to Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police have not released the name of the driver or the pedestrian. The police crash investigation division is leading the inquiry into the circumstances around the incident.
