J.T. Realmuto stood at second base, clapping toward the dugout, while Bryce Harper jogged home with the go-ahead run. Two outs. Eighth inning. Series on the brink. But the Phillies found a way to avoid a sweep.
Realmuto's double into the gap in left-center off Padres reliever Adrian Morejón gave the Phillies a 2-1 win on Sunday afternoon at Petco Park — the kind of grind-it-out, get-back-on-the-plane-with-a-smile kind of win that plays loud in mid-July.
Cristopher Sánchez was brilliant — again. The lefty scattered six hits over 7 1/3 innings, allowing just one run while striking out six. When manager Rob Thomson walked to the mound in the eighth, Sánchez got a well-earned ovation from a few hundred red-clad fans sitting behind the third-base dugout. He’s now 8-2 with an ERA that’s begging for more national attention.
Harper, as usual, was in the middle of everything. He scored both Phillies runs — the first one almost single-handedly. After drawing a two-out walk in the opening frame off Nick Pivetta, Harper moved to second on a throwing error by third baseman Manny Machado. Moments later, Realmuto beat out an infield single, and first baseman Luis Arraez airmailed a throw, allowing Harper to dash home.
Pivetta, the former Phillie, was sharp. He struck out eight and allowed just three hits and an unearned run over 6 2/3 innings. The Phillies didn’t record an extra-base hit until Harper rolled a lefty-lefty rocket inside the third-base line in the eighth. One batter later, Realmuto made it count.
David Morgan came on to strike out Nick Castellanos after Harper’s double, but Realmuto followed with the biggest swing of the day.
Matt Strahm walked a pair but was able to escape the ninth unscathed to secure his sixth save of the season.
With the first half of the season now complete, the Phillies will open a three-game home series against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.
With the first half of the season now complete, the Phillies will open a three-game home series against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.
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