Cal Stevenson delivered a go-ahead double as part of a wild eighth inning as the Philadelphia Phillies pulled away for a 9-4 home win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday.
Kyle Schwarber hit his major league-record 14th leadoff homer of the season for the Phillies (87-58), although he later exited with left elbow discomfort after an awkward slide on a pickoff attempt at first base. Trea Turner hit two home runs for Philadelphia, including a two-run insurance shot in the eighth, and Bryce Harper contributed three doubles.
Junior Caminero had three hits, while Christopher Morel and Josh Lowe each registered two hits for Tampa Bay (71-74), which has lost four of its past six games.
The Phillies’ eighth inning began in bizarre fashion. Bryson Stott’s shot down the right field line hit the umpire and bounced right to first baseman Jonathan Aranda for an easy out. Stott slammed his helmet upon returning to the dugout, but his teammates rallied behind him.
Brandon Marsh drew a walk against Richard Lovelady (3-6) and moved to third on Kody Clemens’ double. Stevenson then hooked a 2-2 changeup from Edwin Uceta into right field to score two runs. Buddy Kennedy’s RBI single and Turner’s two-run blast — his 18th of the season — pushed the lead to 9-4.
Two batters later, Uceta drilled Nick Castellanos with a 96 mph sinker, causing the benches and bullpens to empty. Uceta was ejected.
Philadelphia left-hander Ranger Suarez gave up four runs and a career-high 12 hits in 5 1/3 innings. Tampa Bay’s Taj Bradley also received a no-decision after yielding four runs (three earned) and six hits in six innings.
After Bradley allowed Schwarber’s 35th homer to open the bottom of the first, Tampa Bay drew even in the bottom half on Jose Caballero’s RBI single.
A similar script followed in the second inning, as the Phillies jumped ahead — this time with an unearned run — only to have the Rays tie it up, 2-2, on a base hit by Yandy Diaz.
Philadelphia went back in front for the third time in as many innings as Turner belted a two-run shot off Bradley to create a 4-2 advantage. However, the visitors drew even once again with a run in the fifth and another in the sixth.
Four Phillies relievers combined to pitch 3 2/3 scoreless innings, including Jose Alvarado (2-5), who struck out two in the eighth, and Tanner Banks, who worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth.
–Field Level Media
