Phillies avoid sweep in Pittsburgh after three-run seventh inning

Final Score: Phillies 6, Pirates 0

Entering the top of the seventh on Sunday, the Phillies had a 2-0 lead over the Pirates. Tyler Phillips was excellent, allowing four hits — all singles — across six scoreless innings. The right-hander kept the Pittsburgh lineup quiet, partially because he kept Oneil Cruz from doing any damage — something other Phillies pitchers didn’t do on Friday or Saturday.

Cruz went 0-for-3 against Phillips with a strikeout in the series finale. And, after grounding out in the bottom of the sixth, the Pirates’ shortstop made a mistake in the top of the seventh that the Phillies took full advantage of.

With Garrett Stubbs on first and one out in the inning, Kyle Schwarber grounded a ball to second base. Pirates’ second baseman Nick Gonzales fielded the ball cleanly and threw it to Cruz, who was standing on second looking to start an inning-ending double play. But instead of catching the on-target throw, Cruz dropped it. The call on the field was that Cruz dropped the ball while transferring it from his glove to his throwing hand and that Stubbs was out at second. But Rob Thomson challenged the call and it was overturned, meaning both runners were safe.

Cruz’s error set the table for three All-Stars to drive in three important insurance runs for the Phillies. With extra life and runners on first and second, Trea Turner poked a ball into right field for a single that drove in Stubbs from second and advanced Schwarber to third. Bryce Harper followed that up with an RBI groundout.

Now up 4-0, Alec Bohm capped off the inning with an RBI single of his own, giving the Phillies a 5-0 lead just three batters after it seemed like the inning might be over with the club ahead 2-0 instead.

Once Phillips’ afternoon was done, the trio of Yunior Marte, José Alvarado and José Ruiz finished things off to help the Phillies avoid a sweep and secure their 64th win of the season.

Highlights

• The Phillies’ first two runs of the afternoon came in the top of the second. After an Edmundo Sosa double put runners on second and third, Weston Wilson drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Stubbs singled home another run.

• After Tyler Phillips surrendered a leadoff single in the bottom of the fourth, the right-hander induced a pop out and a double play to get out of the inning unscathed.

• Turner’s single in the seventh came on the first pitch of his at-bat.

• Bohm’s RBI single was his second hit of the day.

• A Nick Castellanos home run in the top of the ninth extended the Phillies’ lead to six runs.

Notes

• Phillips’ performance lowered his ERA on the year to 2.81 across 16 innings. The right-hander also has 15 strikeouts to just one walk in his three appearances.
• With the Braves’ loss, the Phillies’ lead in the NL East is back up to 8.5 games.
• Before Sunday’s game, Rob Thomson provided updates on Taijuan Walker and Spencer Turnbull. Walker is scheduled to throw a bullpen session in Minnesota this week. Meanwhile, Turnbull could return as a reliever later this season.

Ticket IQ Next Game

• Monday, July 22 vs. Minnesota Twins at Target Field
• 7:40 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia and MLB Network (out-of-market only)
• Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
• Spanish Radio: WTTM 1680

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