Phillies homer 4 times, Tyler Phillips earns first win against Athletics
Final Score: Phillies 11, Athletics 5
As someone who grew up a Phillies fan in South Jersey, Tyler Phillips lived the ultimate dream on Saturday. He started the first game of his major-league career as a Phillie at Citizens Bank Park, earning the first win of his career, too.
The 26-year-old right-hander was charged with four runs in six-plus innings of work. After allowing a home run and double to begin the seventh inning, Phillips was pulled in favor of Orion Kerkering. Gregory Soto would go on to finish the seventh for the Phillies, striking out pinch-hitter Miguel Andujar with runners on first and second, to preserve a two-run lead.
While Phillips’ performance was important to the Phillies capturing their MLB-best 62nd win of the season, the lineup helped out, too, by hitting four long balls and scoring 11 total runs. Nick Castellanos hit the club’s first home run in the second inning. Two innings later, a pair of homers gave the Phillies a four-run lead.
After saving a run on a great catch in the second inning, Johan Rojas drove a ball just beyond the left-center field wall for his third home run of the season. Three batters later, Trea Turner hit a two-run home run on a hanging 2-2 cutter.
Turner’s home run was his seventh in 11 games this month. The shortstop, who will start in the All-Star Game on Tuesday, entered July with a .453 slugging percentage. That number currently sits at .530 thanks to his most recent power binge.
After Soto got out of the seventh, Bryce Harper hit his 21st home run of the year to add an insurance run to the board. Harper and Castellanos drove in four more runs in the bottom of the eighth to seal the win.
Highlights
- The Athletics took the lead in the top of the second on a one-out double by Seth Brown that drove in Brent Rooker from second base.
- Rojas’ catch was nothing short of impressive.
- Castellanos’ home run in the second gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead.
- The A’s immediately tied the game on a Zack Gelof solo shot in the top of the third.
- Kyle Schwarber lined a double into the left-center field gap a half-inning later, allowing Garrett Stubbs to score from first and giving the Phillies a 3-2 lead.
- Rojas’ home run traveled 396 feet.
- Turner’s long ball gave the Phillies a 6-2 lead.
- Rooker homered to start the seventh, making it a 6-3 game.
- The Athletics scored another run in the inning on a Brett Harris single — one of two hits off Kerkering.
- Harper’s home run was the first of his career against the Athletics. He’s now homered against all 30 MLB teams.
- Harper added even more insurance in the bottom of the eighth with a two-run, bases-loaded double.
- Castellanos also hit a two-run, bases-loaded double in the bottom of the eighth to make it an 11-4 game.
- An Andujar double in the top of the ninth made it an 11-5 game.
Notes
- Cristopher Sánchez was added to the National League All-Star team on Saturday, giving the Phillies their eighth All-Star, which ties a Major League Baseball record.
- It was also announced that Ranger Suárez was replaced on the NL All-Star roster. The left-hander is dealing with back spasms, but the Phillies don’t anticipate him landing on the injured list.
- Rob Thomson told reporters before Saturday’s game that J.T. Realmuto’s return date has been pushed back a bit because rain has recently prevented the catcher from doing on-field rehab work.
Ticket IQ Next Game
- Sunday, July 14 vs. Oakland Athletics at Citizens Bank Park
- 1:35 p.m. ET
- TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
- Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
- Spanish Radio: WTTM 1680
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