Nick Castellanos caps four-hit night with walk-off to beat Padres

The home cooking has been sweet.

Returning to Philadelphia after an incredibly hectic road trip, the Phillies have responded to being back home over the last two games. It’s certainly been a lift for Nick Castellanos.

Castellanos followed a two-hit performance with a 4-for-5 night at the plate, delivering the walk-off ground-rule double in the bottom of the ninth inning to complete a comeback win over the Padres, 4-3, on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies have stormed back home to earn a series win in the first two games against San Diego and set up a chance to sweep in the final of a three-game National League set on Wednesday afternoon.

The right fielder Castellanos had two doubles in the game, putting the Phillies on the board in the fourth inning as he came around to score on a Brandon Marsh single after his first two-base hit. Philadelphia otherwise struggled to score early, stranding 12 runners on base through the first seven innings.

Following an eight-run outing in Boston his last start, right-hander Aaron Nola cruised for five innings in his return home to Philadelphia, but struggled to finish as he gave up three runs across six innings. He worked his arsenal masterfully to face the minimum through five as catcher Garrett Stubbs cleaned up the first hit allowed on a strike-him-out, throw-him-out double play to end the top of the fifth.

Then, San Diego jumped on Nola in the sixth. Catcher Luis Campusano hacked at a center-cut fastball and launched it over the fence in dead center, sneaking the ball over the outstretched glove of center fielder Cristian Pache. Nearly a home-run robbery, the Padres took the lead and added another on a Jurickson Profar single to make it 3-1.

Kyle Schwarber, in the midst of a mid-June tear, homered for the Phillies in the eighth inning to start their comeback attempt. It was his third home run in his last two games.

The Phillies came right at reliever Robert Suarez in the ninth, stringing together four straight hits against the righty. Bryson Stott tied the game with an opposite-field single to left, before Castellanos delivered his game-winner to right field to complete the win.

Highlights

• Marsh singled to center field to drive in Castellanos and put the Phillies on the board in the fourth.
• Stubbs made a strong throw to catch Donovan Solano stealing the end the top of the fifth.

• The Padres got to Nola in the sixth as Campusano put one into the bushes, just out of Pache’s reach. They added another on a Profar RBI single.

• Schwarber smoked a home run to right in the eighth.
• Castellanos won the Phillies the game in the ninth.

Notes

• Schwarber is batting .305/.414/.644 in June with six home runs, all of which have come since the team returned stateside after their London trip.
• Castellanos is 6-for-9 with four doubles in this Padres series.

Ticket IQ Next Game

• Wednesday, July 19 vs. San Diego Padres at Citizens Bank Park
• 1:05 p.m. Eastern
• TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia, MLB Network
• Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP

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