Kyle Schwarber’s bat kept right on rumbling Wednesday afternoon, and the Phillies got the kind of all-around bounce-back win they needed.
Schwarber launched his major league-leading 40th home run of the season, Bryce Harper added another blast, and Jesus Luzardo threw seven shutout innings as Philadelphia rolled past the Mariners 6-0 in Seattle. The win let the Phillies salvage the finale of the three-game interleague set after dropping the first two and saw them end their nine-game winning streak.
Luzardo was in command from the start. In his first All-Star season, the left-hander gave up just one hit - a two-out liner to left by Jhonny Pereda in the fifth - while striking out nine and walking three. Tim Mayza and Jhoan Duran each worked an inning out of the bullpen to finish off the two-hit shutout, with Duran surrendering a leadoff single to Randy Arozarena in the ninth.
Philadelphia wasted no time getting to Bryan Woo, who had been 7-0 at T-Mobile Park before taking his first home loss of the year. Schwarber opened the game with a double to center, and one out later Harper went the other way, sending a ball to left-center that hit the top of the wall and bounced over. It was the 29th straight game in which Harper has reached base safely.
The second inning turned the game into a rout. Bryson Stott started it with a double to left, Brandon Marsh drew a walk, and after one out Justin Crawford punched a run-scoring single to right. Schwarber then finished the burst with a 425-foot, three-run shot to right-center on a 2-2 fastball, pushing the Phillies out to a 6-0 lead.
Woo was tagged for six runs on five hits in four innings. He walked one and struck out five.
The Phillies now move on to the next stop on their nine-game West Coast swing, a three-game series against the Angels beginning Friday in Anaheim. After that comes a three-game set in Phoenix against the Diamondbacks, who are chasing Philadelphia for a National League wild-card berth.
Seattle, which wrapped up a 4-2 homestand, heads out for a six-game road trip to Toronto and Boston starting Friday as it tries to stay in the American League playoff race.
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Manager Dan Wilson was quick to clarify that the move was specific to that game and not necessarily a sign of a permanent role change for Miller. Still, with Miller having struggled in the second half and top pitching prospect Kade Anderson already up in the majors, every decision involving the rotation gets extra scrutiny, and Seattles pitching picture has started to feel more open-ended than it did a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]
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Mariners Suddenly Have A Shot At Familiar Help They Desperately Need
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Suarezs season has been uneven, which is part of why this is not a simple yes-or-no decision. Even so, the Mariners standing in the waiver order gives them a real chance to grab a player who once fit comfortably in their plans and could help stabilize a thin spot on the roster. For a club trying to patch together the hot corner, the question now is whether this is the kind of opportunity worth acting on quickly. [Read more 🡒]