Realmuto's 2-Run Triple In 10th Leads Phillies Past Orioles 3-2
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — J.T. Realmuto hit a two-run triple with two outs in the 10th inning to rally the Philadelphia Phillies past the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 on Tuesday night for a boost to their longshot playoff odds.
Realmuto lined a shot to right field past the outstretched glove of Anthony Santander, and NL MVP candidate Bryce Harper, who was intentionally walked, scored the winner and set off a wild celebration in the infield.
Down 2-1 and with an automatic runner on third, Orioles righty Cesar Valdez (2-2) intentionally walked Harper. Realmuto then delivered the clutch hit the Phillies badly needed against the 103-loss Orioles.
The Phillies entered three games behind Atlanta in the NL East and are chasing three teams for the second NL wild-card spot.
Austin Hayes drove in automatic runner Cedric Mullins with a single off Ian Kennedy (3-1) in the 10th inning. But Realmuto provided the late-game thrill that helped the Phillies rebound from a loss in the opener of the three-game series.
Harper was thrown out twice on the basepath and crushed the Phillies with careless baserunning in the eighth.
Harper, thrown out at second earlier in the game trying to stretch a double, ripped his career-high 39th double of the season off Fernando Abad to lead off the eighth. He moved to third on a groundout and pinch-hitter Matt Vierling hit a grounder to second baseman Pat Valaika.
With the infield in, Valaika nailed Harper standing up at home.
Without a fifth starter, the Phillies again turned to a bullpen game in front of a paltry 18,955 announced fans. The Phillies trailed 7-0 to Chicago last Thursday in their previous bullpen outing and rallied for a 17-8 win.
Adonis Medina, a 24-year-old righty, lasted 3 2/3 innings in his first start and only second appearance of the season. Medina gave up a leadoff double to Cedric Mullins and then drilled Austin Hays in the back in the first inning but pitched out of the jam.
He went 4-5 with a 5.05 ERA in 17 starts this season for Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
"I figured he was going to pitch at some point during this game tonight anyway, so why not do something that he's comfortable with and start him?" manager Joe Girardi said.
Ramon Urias' RBI single to center off Medina in the fourth gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Orioles: OF DJ Stewart was placed on the 60-day injured list. He'll have right knee surgery in the coming days and manager Brandon Hyde said that he should be ready for spring training. Hyde said that Stewart, who hit .204 with 12 home runs and 33 RBIs, had been getting treatment for the injury for some time.
"Everybody felt it was the right time for him to shut (it) down and take care of it and be ready for spring training next year," Hyde said.
UP NEXT
The Phillies send ace RHP Zack Wheeler (14-9, 2.83 ERA, 231 strikeouts) to the mound against Baltimore LHP Keegan Akin (2-10, 6.93).
