Phillies extend longest win streak of the season ahead of tough final stretch

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Philadelphia Phillies continue to boost their postseason positioning after extending their win streak to six games ahead of a tough final stretch of the regular season.

The Phillies are heating up at the right time after beating the Miami Marlins 4-1 Wednesday at home to complete two straight series sweeps.

They're inching closer to actually getting in with a better postseason standing than a Wildcard spot.

Playing a Wildcard game means less time to rest, losing home-field advantage and a longer journey to the World Series.

Interim manager Don Mattingly said every game is important right now.

"This thing changes so fast; we're playing good right now. Things change fast. It's day to day," Mattingly said.

Pitcher Aaron Nola came out strong in a way fans have been waiting to see.

Nola played seven of the nine innings - tying the longest time he's spent on the mound all season.

New player Luis Arraez, an amazing hitter, hit a home run.

Kyle Schwarber, not known for his baserunning, scored on a sliding play at the plate that had to be overturned on replay.

There were big defensive moments too, like the incredible Spider-Man-like grab by Brandon Marsh, as he scaled the wall to catch a fly ball.

A lot can happen in big matchups in the final stretch of the regular season, which ends on Sept 27th for the Phillies.

"I think it's getting to that time of year where it's just emotional," Mattingly said. "They know every game is, in a sense, that you need to win, so guys are kind of in that mode at this point. It's good to see."

If you don't follow baseball closely, you'll want to pay attention to the series against the Atlanta Braves around Labor Day weekend.

The Phillies are chasing the Braves for the National League East title, and the outcome of that series could determine how well the Phillies are positioned for the playoffs.