Freddy Peralta and four relievers combined on a four-hitter as the visiting Tampa Bay Rays topped the Philadelphia Phillies 2-0 on Friday.
Nick Fortes homered for Tampa Bay (97-63), which has already clinched the top seed in the American League playoffs but continued to pile on against a Philadelphia team with plenty to play for.
The Phillies (87-73) came in with a magic number of two to clinch a wild-card berth but now will have to sweat out the final two days of the regular season.
Peralta (10-11) gave up four hits — all singles — in 5 1/3 innings. He also yielded three walks, but the right-hander worked around the damage to get the best of Cristopher Sanchez (18-7). The Philadelphia lefty struck out 10 in seven innings, allowing two runs and five hits.
Tampa Bay scored a first-inning run against Sanchez, who recorded the first two outs before allowing singles to Junior Caminero and Ryan Vilade. Jonny DeLuca sent the next pitch into right field for an RBI single.
The Rays only needed one swing to double their lead in the second inning. Fortes launched an 0-1 sinker from Sanchez over the wall in left field for his sixth homer of the season.
The Phillies had a baserunner against Peralta in each of the first five innings, but they were unable to dent the scoreboard. In the sixth, Trea Turner and Bryce Harper singled against Peralta and moved into scoring position on a groundout.
Peralta then gave way to Cam Booser, who got Bryson Stott on a liner to second and Bryan De La Cruz on a liner to shortstop.
Kevin Kelly came on for the seventh and retired the Phillies in order. Cole Sulser logged the eighth and took care of the top three hitters in the Philadelphia lineup. Bryan Baker worked a perfect ninth to pick up his 41st save.
Tampa Bay outfielder Chandler Simpson exited after fouling a ball off his foot in the sixth.
–Field Level Media
