The Philadelphia Phillies continued their impressive offensive display on Tuesday night, defeating the Los Angeles Angels 12-7. The Phillies’ bats were on fire as they scored 12 runs for the second consecutive game, fueled by strong performances from Bryce Harper, Alec Bohm, and J.T. Realmuto.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Angels decided to intentionally walk Bryce Harper, who has been red-hot in August, with a runner on second base. However, Alec Bohm quickly spoiled their strategy by hitting a three-run home run to left-center, giving the Phillies the lead.
Harper praised Bohm for his clutch at-bat, stating, “Just told him it was a big at-bat, big situation. Just a really good moment for him.” The rally didn’t stop there, as J.T. Realmuto followed with a double and scored on a safety squeeze by Johan Rojas. Trea Turner then hit a two-run triple to extend the Phillies’ lead.
The Phillies added three more runs in the seventh inning, with Bohm, Realmuto, and Bryson Stott all contributing to the scoring. Turner sealed the victory with a solo home run in the eighth inning.
The win marked the Phillies’ fifth consecutive victory and improved their record to 74-58, the best they have been all season, placing them four games ahead in the race for the second wild card spot. With 20 of their final 30 games against teams with a .500 winning percentage or below, their playoff chances look promising.
Bryce Harper has been playing at an MVP level in August, hitting .366 with nine doubles, a triple, nine home runs, 22 RBI, and 22 runs scored in 25 games. Kyle Schwarber also continued his impressive form, hitting his 11th home run in the last month.
Alec Bohm, with his three-run homer, has reached 15 home runs and 82 RBI for the season, putting him on pace for 18 and 101. Trea Turner has also been instrumental in the Phillies’ recent success, batting .364 with 17 extra-base hits in his last 22 games.
Phillies’ starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen did not have his best outing, surrendering four runs (three earned) over six innings. However, the team’s offense has provided plenty of run support, scoring 91 runs in their last 12 games.
Lorenzen acknowledged the impact of the offense, stating, “It feels nice to be able to give up four and then smile after the game because we won. That’s what this offense brings.”
The Phillies will look to continue their winning streak on Wednesday as they face the Angels in the series finale. Cristopher Sanchez will take the mound for the Phillies, while lefty Reid Detmers will pitch for the Angels. Game time is set for 1:05 p.m.