Ranger Suárez throws shutout, Bryce Harper gets going as Phillies clinch series win

Final: Phillies 5, Rockies 0

With the Phillies offense in a rut to start the season, Ranger Suárez delivered a masterful performance that needed as little support as possible. But Bryce Harper, in need of a kick start, provided some backup anyway.

The ever-calm left-hander Suárez threw a complete-game shutout against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park, lifting Philadelphia to a 5-0 victory. Harper added a double, a home run and three RBIs as the Phillies (10-8) clinched a series victory in this three-game set.

Suárez pounded the strike zone, fielded his position with poise and avoided the rare trouble he faced with the help of his defense as he recorded his second career shutout. He allowed seven hits, walked one and struck out eight on 112 pitches.

Harper hit an RBI double to left-center field in the bottom of the sixth inning before widening the gap to 5-0 with a two-run blast in the eighth.

Suárez worked around two ninth-inning singles by Colorado, fittingly ending the game by nonchalantly fielding a grounder back to the mound and tossing to first to complete his shutout.

Highlights

• Catcher J.T. Realmuto deposited a two-run home run into the seats in left-center field in the bottom of the first to strike first for the Phillies. They took advantage of a throwing error by Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar earlier in the innings to score the two unearned runs.

• Suárez and the Phillies escaped some trouble in the sixth as Alan Trejo veered too far off third base after a Ryan McMahon infield single, allowing Harper to chase him down and toss to Alec Bohm to tag Trejo out to end the inning. The Rockies would’ve had runners on first and third with two outs.
• Left fielder Brandon Marsh added another defensive contribution, fielding an Elehuris Montero line drive off the wall, turning and unloading a missile of a throw to second base to nab Montero and end the top of the seventh.

Notes

• Suárez previously threw a shutout on Sept. 25, 2021, at Citizens Bank Park against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
• After grounding out on a two-out bunt in his first at-bat, Johan Rojas squared again and fouled off the first pitch of his second at-bat. Rojas has, of course, been struggling at the plate, so it makes sense he would try to make something happen. But the timing was a bit surprising after he made some solid contact on Monday.

Ticket IQ Next Game

• Wednesday, April 17 vs. Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Park 
• 6:05 p.m. Eastern
• NBC Sports Philadelphia
• 94 WIP, WTTM 1680 (Español)

MORE FROM PHILLIES NATION

1. Phillies 2024 Walk-Up Songs
2. What’s Kept Phillies Pitching So Healthy? Zack Wheeler And Aaron Nola Weigh In…
3. Phillies Insist Bryce Harper Is Healthy Despite Slow Start
4. The Inside Story Of How The Phillies City Connect Uniforms Came To Be
5. Phillies Nuggets: Alec Bohm Says He’s Grown ‘A Lot’ As Player And Person
6. Amid Pitcher Injury Crisis, Rob Thomson Says Phillies Have To Be ‘Really’ Careful With Spencer Turnbull
7. Rhys Hoskins Thinks He’ll Get Booed At Citizens Bank Park, Sort Of
8. Why Were The Red Jerseys Ones Eliminated By Phillies?
9. Ricardo Pinto Woke Up In Rochester, Finished Evening Closing Out Win For Phillies During Insane Day
10. Phillies 2024 Giveaway Schedule