Abbott Elementary's Phillies episode is up for an Emmy

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The director of ABC's hit show 'Abbott Elementary' is up for a primetime Emmy Award Monday night for his work on the groundbreaking episode "Ballgame."

Randall Einhorn is nominated for his 9th Emmy for filming part of the scripted show during a very thrilling and unscripted Phillies game.

"It was crazy," says Einhorn. "In my career, that was the most challenging episode I think I've ever done."

Most of the episode was filmed during an actual ballgame at Citizens Bank Park.

"We were just winging it, flying by the seat of our pants, hustling," he says.

It was August 28, 2025, when the Phillies took on the Braves. You know, the game where Kyle Schwarber hit four home runs.

"I asked him, 'Did you do that for us?'" Einhorn laughs. "He said, 'Yeah. I did.' And I said, 'Thank you very much.'"

The day before the game, the show brought hundreds of extras into the ballpark to shoot some of the core scenes.

On game day, they were also joined by thousands of real Phillies fans in the stands.

"That was a real taste of Philly and real taste of Philly sports life," says Einhorn. "It was fantastic. I had a blast."

Einhorn had quite a feat to pull off: shooting the rest of the episode, with the cast and crew embedded in the crowd, reacting in real time.

"There's a moment that you see quite clearly Sheryl Lee Ralph's face, and you know that it's Kyle's third or fourth home run," he recalls. "At that point, she was just an excited Phillies fan. She wasn't acting anymore."

After the game, and after his four home runs, they met Schwarber on the field for one more scene.

"That guy came ready to work," says Einhorn. "He says, 'I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know how to act or anything.' I said, 'You just do what Kyle Schwarber would do and say what Kyle Schwarber would say, the way Kyle Schwarber would say it, and you're going to be fine.' And he was great."

'Abbott Elementary' is up for seven Emmy awards.

If he wins for directing, this would mark a first for Einhorn.

"It's nice for the recognition, because a lot of planning, a lot of work went into it," he says.