Categories: 2019 Postgame Recaps

Phillies top Dodgers on Harper’s walk-off double

Bryce Harper hit a three-run homer in the 2nd before lacing the game-winning double in the 9th. (Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire)

The Philadelphia Phillies (49-46) were in good position to even their series with the Los Angeles Dodgers (63-34) on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. It nearly looked like they were not going to be able to get it done, though.

Hector Neris couldn’t protect a one-run lead in the ninth, but the Phillies ended up finding a way to win with a rally in the bottom of the ninth. Yes, you read that correctly. The Phillies rallied to win. After one quick out, the Phillies got four straight hits to earn a win against the Dodgers.

Scott Kingery, Brad Miller and Bryce Harper all went deep in the win with Harper providing the game-winning hit. The Phillies are now 44-12 in games where they score four runs or more.

Let’s take a look at how things unfolded tonight at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies struck first the same way they did on Monday. Scott Kingery hit a homer in the bottom half of the first to put the Phils up 1-0.

The lead didn’t last long though as Max Muncy smashed a monster home run to right field in the top of the 2nd to tie the game at 1-1. The Phillies got some separation in the bottom half of the inning.

J.T. Realmuto reached on a fielding error to start the inning and Brad Miller made Walker Buehler pay in the form of a two-run home run to right. This would make it a 3-1 ballgame.

Pitcher Vince Velasquez singled and two batters later, Scott Kingery drew a walk with two outs. Bryce Harper followed with a long, three-run home run to center field, making it a 6-1 game in the second inning.

Leading 6-1, the Phillies looked to be in good position early against the National League best Dodgers. Not so fast, though. In the fourth, Justin Turner reached on a fielding error by Brad Miller. Cody Bellinger followed with his 34th home run, a two-run shot, to cut the Phillies lead to 6-3. Two batters later, A.J. Pollack hit a solo homer to make it a 6-4 game. A Joc Pederson lead-off home run in the fifth made it a 6-5 game and Vince Velasquez was done after two more hitters.

Jose Alvarez was able to hold things down for the rest of the fifth and the entire sixth, striking out two. Juan Nicasio followed with 2/3 of an inning and two strikeouts. Adam Morgan pitched a scoreless end of the seventh and all of the eighth.

In the top of the ninth, rain delayed the game for a bit, but play resumed for closer Hector Neris. The inning didn’t start off well with Neris walking Max Muncy and allowing a single to A.J. Pollack. After a Corey Seager strikeout, pinch-hitter Matt Beaty put the Dodgers in the lead with a three-run home run to center, making it an 8-6 game.

Hector Neris would then hit David Freese with a pitch and get ejected. Gabe Kapler would also get ejected.

In the bottom half of the ninth, the Phillies rallied. Andrew Knapp got on base with a pinch-hit double and moved to third on a Cesar Hernandez single in the next at-bat. Scott Kingery hit a looper to center with one down and it scored Andrew Knapp to make it 8-7 with Bryce Harper due up. Harper laced a double to center that got past A.J. Pollack. The hit plated Hernandez and Kingery to win it for the Phillies.

Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance

Vince Velasquez started strong, but was unable to hold the Phillies’ five-run lead or make it through five innings. The right-hander pitched 4.2 innings, allowed five runs (four earned) while walking one and striking out seven. He also had a single.

Meanwhile, Walker Buehler didn’t look to have his best stuff in his first appearance since the All-Star Game. He ended up going six innings, allowing six runs (only two earned) while walking three and striking out seven.

Phillies Nuggets Player of the Game: Bryce Harper

The Phillies lost the lead in the top of the ninth, but their $330 million man brought things home in the bottom half of the inning. After hitting a three-run homer earlier in the game, Harper came through when it mattered most. With two men on and one down in the bottom of the ninth, Harper hit a game-winning two-run double to center.

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