After 108 pitches and seven innings of work, Suarez yielded his post to Jeff Hoffman who missed with a first-pitch fastball to Rangers’ shortstop, Corey Seager, who hit it on a rope just over the fence in right field to cut the lead back to one.
But with the top of the order due up in the bottom of the inning, the big bats continued their big contributions. Schwarber and JT Realmuto hit back-to-back singles to start the frame and then Bohm again brought a run across the plate with a clutch RBI double, his Major League-leading 19th and NL-leading 44th two-bagger.
Realmuto would close the scoring for the night after coming home on a Bryson Stott sac-fly.
The Phillies top four hitters accounted for all eight of their hits on the night, fairly and squarely splitting them equally.
Closing the game on his 29th birthday, Jose Alvarado got into a bit of a jam after a throwing error by Bohm and a single put two men on with one out. Then he took a page out of Ranger’s book and got back-to-back swinging K’s to end the evening.
The teams are back at it tomorrow night as Taijuan Walker opposes Rangers’ lefty, Andrew Heaney.
In the opening game of the final series of their nine-game homestand, the Philadelphia Phillies (35-14) defeated the Texas Rangers (24-25) by a score of 5-2 on Tuesday night behind another peerless performance by Ranger Suarez (9-0) and some clutch hitting at the top of the order. It’s the first time the Phillies have been 11 games over .500 since May 4, 2011.
Suarez asserted himself early, notching four of his ten strikeouts across two scoreless innings, including three frontward K’s in order in the top of the second.
He did concede the first lead of the game in the top of the third via an RBI double to Rangers’ second baseman, Marcus Semien, but showed his composure by settling down the rest of the way.
After Rangers’ starter, Jon Gray, issued a leadoff walk to Brandon Marsh to begin the bottom of the third, Johan Rojas bunted him over to second and Marsh came around to score on a Kyle Schwarber single that leveled the score.
A leadoff double by Bryce Harper in the fourth inning followed by another RISP-hit by Alec Bohm gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead that they never again conceded.
The Phillies would extend their advantage in the sixth inning with another leadoff hit by Harper, this time a big fly.
It was Harper’s team-leading 11th home run, good for third in the National League.
Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez vs the Rangers - May 21st 2024 - Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
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