LOS ANGELES – Cristopher Sánchez delivered a stellar performance on the mound, while Edmundo Sosa and Kyle Schwarber provided the offensive firepower with back-to-back home runs in the ninth inning. The Philadelphia Phillies emerged victorious, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 on Tuesday night in a highly anticipated showdown between the top two teams in the National League.
With this win, Philadelphia secured the season series against the Dodgers with a commanding 4-1 lead, setting the stage for a critical finale on Wednesday.
“This triumph could have major implications as we approach the final stretch,” remarked Phillies Manager Rob Thomson, alluding to the potential importance of home-field advantage in a possible postseason matchup if the teams finish with equal records.
Sánchez pitched a solid six innings, allowing just one run and five hits while striking out two and issuing one walk. His impeccable command on the mound played a pivotal role in snapping the Dodgers’ three-game winning streak.
“I was aggressive early in the count and focused on throwing strikes,” said Sánchez through an interpreter. “Despite their lineup featuring many formidable hitters, every batter has their weaknesses.”
The momentum shifted in the Phillies’ favor in the fifth inning when Schwarber’s two-out RBI single knocked Dodgers’ starter Clayton Kershaw out of the game, giving Philadelphia a 1-0 lead. This crucial hit set up Schwarber after Austin Hays’ double, capitalizing on Kershaw’s 0-2 count and ultimately leading to the Phillies’ advantage.
Kershaw, making his third start of the season, displayed his exceptional pitching skills by surrendering only one run and five hits over 4 2/3 innings. Despite his frustration with a couple of errors, Kershaw confirmed his physical well-being but acknowledged the need to refine his performance going forward.
In the sixth inning, Dodgers reliever Brusdar Graterol suffered a strained right hamstring, prompting an early exit from the game just one day after returning from the 60-day injured list.
“It’s truly unfortunate,” expressed Kershaw. “Definitely a tough night for us.”
The Phillies capitalized on Graterol’s replacement, Brent Honeywell, as they added three runs in the sixth inning. Nick Castellanos contributed with an RBI single, followed by a two-run single by Sosa, extending the lead to 4-0.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Dodgers managed to score their first run when Will Smith drove in a run with a groundout, closing the gap to 1-4.
Trailing 1-4 in the seventh inning, the Dodgers had the opportunity to equalize with Shohei Ohtani at the plate and runners on first and second base. However, Matt Strahm, an All-Star reliever, induced a flyout to right field to end the inning. Ohtani, who went hitless in the game, faced a similar fate when he struck out against Strahm during the Phillies’ previous three-game sweep of the Dodgers in Philadelphia.
“There was a sense that he was anticipating my fastball up since that is my go-to pitch,” explained Strahm. “I decided to switch it up and aimed for a pitch down and away.”
In the eighth inning, Teoscar Hernández, last month’s Home Run Derby champion, belted his 25th home run off Jeff Hoffman, reducing the Phillies’ lead to 4-2.
However, Sosa kickstarted the ninth inning with a solo home run on an 0-2 pitch from Honeywell, landing the ball in the lower right-field seats. Schwarber consolidated the Phillies’ victory with his 24th homer, which narrowly cleared the right-field foul pole, securing a 6-2 win.
Thomson praised the entire team’s efforts, stating, “It was a complete victory. Everyone in the lineup contributed, and our defense was exceptional.”
Noteworthy was Dodgers right fielder Andy Pages’ standout defensive play in the seventh inning. Pages caught J.T. Realmuto’s fly and promptly fired the ball to third base, where Kik Hernández tagged out a sliding Bryce Harper, resulting in an inning-ending double play. The Phillies unsuccessfully challenged the call.
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