PHILADELPHIA — Bryce Harper homered twice, Cristopher Sánchez struck out 10 batters in eight strong innings and the streaking Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Athletics 9-1 on Tuesday night.
Bryson Stott was another Las Vegas native who went deep, J.T. Realmuto drove in two runs and Brandon Marsh had three singles for the Phillies, who have won seven of eight since interim manager Don Mattingly replaced fired Rob Thomson.
The AL West-leading Athletics have lost three of four. They plan to move to Las Vegas in 2028, when they are scheduled to open play at a new ballpark on the Strip.
Sánchez (3-2) limited the A’s to just three hits while reaching double-digit strikeouts for the ninth time in his career. The NL Cy Young runner-up last season walked one and hit a batter.
After homering in Philadelphia’s 1-0 win at Miami on Monday, Harper went deep again to lift the Phillies to the series-opening victory. He clubbed a 2-2, 84-mph sweeper into the seats in right field leading off the third inning off Luis Severino (2-3). He also cleared the wall in center field in the eighth off Tyler Ferguson.
Severino allowed just that one run on seven hits in five innings with three strikeouts and two walks.
The A’s threatened in the seventh with a pair of singles to open the inning. But Sánchez retired the next three batters, two on swinging strikeouts, to get out of the jam.
The Phillies scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh off a pair of relievers.
Jhoan Duran gave up a run in the ninth after being activated from the 15-day injured list prior to the game. Duran had last pitched on April 11 due to a strained left oblique muscle. The 28-year-old right-hander entered 1-1 with a 1.35 ERA and five saves in 6 2/3 innings. Nick Kurtz singled off Duran leading off the frame to extend his on-base streak to 29 consecutive games.
Up next
Athletics LHP Jeffrey Springs (3-2, 3.96 ERA) opposes Philadelphia RHP Zack Wheeler (1-0, 2.45) in the second contest of the three-game series on Wednesday night.
