Benches clear and Schwarber makes history as Phillies cruise to 9-4 win

Kyle Schwarber made history with his 14th leadoff homer of the season, but his night was cut short by injury. Despite his early exit, the Philadelphia Phillies secured a 9-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night, thanks in part to a clutch two-run double by pinch-hitter Cal Stevenson in the eighth inning.

Trea Turner added two, two-run homers, and Bryce Harper collected four hits as the Phillies (87-58) matched their season-high mark of 29 games over .500.

Schwarber’s record-breaking blast came on the second pitch from Taj Bradley, a 437-foot shot to center that pushed him past Alfonso Soriano’s 2003 mark of 13 leadoff homers in a single season. But his night was cut short after he hyperextended his left elbow diving back to first on a pickoff attempt in the third. 

Schwarber left the game in the fourth inning but said afterward there was no structural damage, suggesting he could return as early as Wednesday when the Phillies look to complete a sweep.

Ranger Suárez’s struggles continued on the mound. The left-hander didn’t factor into the decision, allowing four runs on a season-high 12 hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out two and walked two, marking his seventh outing in his last eight starts in which he’s failed to reach six innings. 

Suárez has posted a 6.02 ERA over that stretch, leaving questions about his consistency as the postseason nears.

Despite Suárez's rough outing, the Phillies' bullpen held firm. Jose Alvarado (2-5) pitched a perfect eighth inning with two strikeouts, setting the stage for Stevenson’s late-game heroics.

Stevenson, called up earlier this month, stepped in for Johan Rojas with two men on in the bottom of the eighth and lined a 2-2 changeup from Tampa reliever Edwin Uceta down the right field line, bringing home two runs to break a 4-4 tie.

Buddy Kennedy then added an RBI single, and Turner capped the rally with his second homer of the night.

Things got heated in the eighth after Harper doubled and Uceta hit Nick Castellanos with a pitch, causing both benches to clear. Harper marched toward the mound, shouting at Uceta, but the confrontation didn’t escalate as the Rays’ reliever refused to engage. Uceta was ejected from the game.

“I knew something was coming,” Castellanos told reporters. “It’s part of the game, but it’s frustrating when emotions spill over like that.”

Junior Caminero had three hits and an RBI for the Rays, while Yandy Díaz and Jose Caballero each chipped in with RBI singles. 

Reliever Richard Lovelady (3-6) took the loss, giving up two runs on two hits in two-thirds of an inning.

The series concludes on Wednesday with Zack Wheeler (14-6, 2.59 ERA) set to pitch for the Phillies, while Tampa Bay counters with Shane Baz (2-3, 3.27 ERA) as they aim to avoid the sweep.