J.T. Realmuto and Bryce Harper each homered and drove in two runs Tuesday as the Philadelphia Phillies topped the visiting San Francisco Giants 6-4 to even their four-game series at one win apiece.
Alec Bohm had the go-ahead hit for Philadelphia, which had dropped four of its previous five games. Bryson Stott and Max Kepler chipped in two hits apiece in support of Jesus Luzardo, who allowed three runs and five hits over 5 1/3 innings.
Justin Verlander (0-1) remained winless in four starts for San Francisco, allowing four runs and eight hits over 5 2/3 innings. Casey Schmitt drove in two runs for the Giants, who were 4-1 in their previous five games.
Sparking by Realmuto’s home run to lead off the second, Philadelphia scored twice to build a 2-0 lead against Verlander. Schmitt tied it with a two-run single against Luzardo in the fourth.
Jung Hoo Lee doubled to lead off the sixth and came around to score on a groundout to put San Francisco ahead 3-2, but Philadelphia promptly countered with two runs in the bottom half.
Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos singled with one out before Realmuto delivered a run-scoring hit when Heliot Ramos couldn’t handle a wind-blown fly to left. Two batters later, Bohm ended Verlander’s night with a base hit to score Castellanos.
Harper’s two-run homer in the seventh against Hayden Birdsong – also possibly aided by the wild winds — pushed the advantage to 6-3.
The extra runs appeared as though they’d be significant when Jose Alvarado allowed three straight singles — including Lee’s RBI hit — to open the eighth. However, the hard-throwing lefty retired the next three hitters to escape the jam.
Orion Kerkering (2-1) retired two batters in the sixth inning to pick up the victory. Jordan Romano and Alvarado bridged the gap to Matt Strahm, who needed only seven pitches in the ninth to pick up his first save.
–Field Level Media
