Bryce Harper's 7th inning home run leads Phillies over Pirates, 7-6
PHILADELPHIA (KDKA/AP) - The Phillies' Bryce Harper recorded three hits, including a seventh-inning home run that gave them a 7-6 lead over the Pirates they would never relent.
However, it was backup catcher Garrett Stubbs who began the rally by hitting a three-run shot that sparked the rally just one day after he was the center of attention during the Phillies' celebration when they officially clinched a postseason berth.
"Probably still a little hammered from the night before," Stubbs said, laughing.
Stubbs, who entered the game batting just .196 in 30 games, hit his first homer since Aug. 16, 2022.
"Yeah, all it took was a bunch of champagne, drinking all night and going out," Stubbs said. "There it was the next day, a homer."
Stubbs survived all nine innings.
The backup catcher became a social media hit in Philadelphia after videos of him dancing and drinking in overalls in the clubhouse on Tuesday night were unleashed into the viral universe, and there was faux concern that he could actually play.
Was he really hydrated? Was he rested?
"I love popping champagne," Stubbs said. "I think the rest of the guys in the locker room do, too."
Stubbs took a healthy cut on a four-seam fastball from Pirates starter Johan Oviedo in the fourth and slugged a three-run homer to right.
Phillies fans went wild for their cult hero, and he was welcomed at home with a warm embrace from Bryson Stott.
"Everybody just pulls for Stubby," Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. "He's kind of the energy guy in the clubhouse and in the dugout. He's a great teammate. One of the best teammates I've ever been around. So everybody pulls for him."
His homer cut the Phils' deficit to 5-4, the second time in as many years Philadelphia trailed early in the first game after a clincher. A year ago, the Phillies secured a wild-card spot in Houston, and then Ranger Suarez went out and got rocked for six runs in two innings the next game. It happened again against the Pirates.
Suarez gave up three runs in the first and two in the second against the Pirates. The 28-year-old left-hander was chased in the fifth after Jack Suwinski tripled in a run to make it 6-4.
Edmundo Sosa hit his 10th homer of the year for the Phillies, a solo shot, and Christian Pache tied the game 6-all on an RBI single in the sixth that scored Harper.
Connor Joe had four hits for the Pirates.
The two teams finish up their series tonight at 6:05 p.m.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.