Kyle Schwarber did what Kyle Schwarber does. He crushed his 18th homer of the season, tying Aaron Judge atop the big league leaderboard, then came back for seconds—lacing a two-run double in the 11th inning that gave the Phillies a 9-6 win Saturday night in West Sacramento. The win pushed the Phillies’ streak to nine straight and sent the A’s deeper into despair with their 11th consecutive loss.
But if you’re looking for the moment that flipped the game, forget Schwarber for a second. Go to the 10th. The A’s had the bases loaded. Nobody out. Brent Rooker hit a fly to center—just deep enough to feel like a walk-off. Instead, Brandon Marsh caught it and fired a strike to the plate to nail Logan Davidson trying to score. Double play. Rally dead on arrival.
Davidson’s major league debut may go directly into the archives of “Did That Really Happen?” He pinch-ran in the 10th, got thrown out at home, was called for obstruction at first base in the 11th, and struck out for the final out. That’s a full day’s work in three innings.
Max Kepler did his best to rewrite the ending, blasting a 101.4 mph fastball from Mason Miller into the seats in the ninth to tie things up at 6–6. But the A’s bullpen, which now has a 10.02 ERA during the losing streak, did what it’s been doing for weeks—imploded.
Schwarber’s double off Mitch Spence in the 11th got an extra bonus when Davidson’s obstruction sent him to third. Nick Castellanos followed with a sac fly, and that was that. Max Lazar handled the bottom of the 11th for his first big league save.
The A’s had led 5–4 and 6–5, with Rooker hitting his 12th homer of the season off Joe Ross in the eighth, but they couldn’t hold either lead. Trea Turner swiped second in the first inning, Bryce Harper scored from second on a Castellanos double, and Phillies starters continued their dominant stretch—posting a 1.82 ERA over the first eight games of the streak.
Orion Kerkering worked a clean 10th to earn the win.
Jesús Luzardo (5-0, 1.95 ERA) starts Sunday’s finale for the Phillies. Gunnar Hoglund (1-2, 5.06) goes for the A’s, who could probably use a miracle. Or five.
