The Philadelphia Phillies have become nearly unbeatable at home.
The Phillies scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 4-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday, the Phillies’ 25th win in their past 29 home games.
Philadelphia will look to stay hot when it aims for a series sweep over the Padres on Wednesday afternoon.
Nick Castellanos hit a walk-off RBI double, his fourth hit of the game on Tuesday. He entered the series in an 0-for-17 slump.
“It’s just joy, man,” Castellanos said in a postgame interview on NBC Sports Philadelphia. “To come back and rally together, it’s awesome.”
Kyle Schwarber added a home run and single and Brandon Marsh contributed two hits and an RBI for the Phillies, who strung together four straight hits in the ninth without making an out.
“Fightin’ Phils, man,” Castellanos said.
The Phillies went 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position and 14 left on base.
But they produced when it mattered most against Robert Suarez, the Padres’ stellar closer.
“These guys never quit,” manager Rob Thomson said. “They just keep going.”
On Wednesday, the Phillies will hand the ball to left-hander Ranger Suarez (10-1, 1.77 ERA).
In Suarez’s last start, Friday in Baltimore against the Orioles, he allowed six hits and one run in 6 2/3 innings. He said that pitching on the road was kind of like a home game.
“We see the fans that follow us on the road,” Suarez said. “To see fans everywhere that you play at, it’s really important.”
Suarez is 3-0 with a 2.16 ERA in six career games with three starts against the Padres.
In the other dugout, San Diego will be looking to just avoid a winless road trip.
After being swept in a three-game series by the New York Mets, the Padres have now lost consecutive games to the Phillies.
Luis Campusano hit a home run and drove in two runs for the Padres on Tuesday, but Robert Suarez couldn’t hold a one-run lead in the ninth. It was the team’s ninth straight road loss.
“Did a lot of things right,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “Just the end wasn’t good enough.”
Righty Matt Waldron (4-6, 3.66) is expected to start for the Padres.
In Waldron’s last start against the Mets on Friday, he gave up three hits and two runs in seven innings. He has allowed two earned runs or fewer in seven consecutive starts.
“He was great. Waldy gave us more than a chance,” Shildt said. “Did a tremendous job. The ball that (J.D.) Martinez got down the line was the only damage, but Matty was really good again.”
In his lone game against the Phillies in his career, Waldron came out of the bullpen to pitch 4 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on eight hits in September of last year. He did not get a decision in the 9-7 Phillies win.
Fernando Tatis Jr. (quad) was given the night off Tuesday and it’s unclear if he’ll play on Wednesday.
Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim also didn’t play after starting 75 of the first 76 games.
“You pick your spots,” Shildt said. “We’re in the third consecutive 13-game stretch. I don’t like to give those guys days off at home. A lot of our fans go to see Fernando and Kimmy play. Today just felt like the right day for them. They’ve more than earned it.”
–Field Level Media
