PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto homered and Bryson Stott and Max Kepler added two hits apiece as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the San Francisco Giants 6-4 Tuesday night.
Realmuto had two hits and two RBIs to snap out of a funk in which his batting average dipped to .222. Alec Bohm added a key RBI single in the sixth that scored the go-ahead run to help Philadelphia rally.
Orion Kerkering (2-1) earned the victory in relief of starter Jesus Luzardo, who worked 5 1/3 innings and allowed five hits and three runs while striking out four. Matt Strahm earned his first save of the season.
Jung Hoo Lee and Matt Chapman each had two hits for the Giants, who are 3-2 midway through a 10-game trip. Justin Verlander (0-1) took the loss, working 5 2/3 innings and allowing eight hits and four earned runs. Casey Schmitt added a two-run single for the Giants.
Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Realmuto’s hit to shallow left got caught up in swirling wind and Giants left fielder Heliot Ramos couldn’t make the catch, allowing Kyle Schwarber to score the tying run. Two hitters later, Bohm hit a first pitch fastball into left center to score Nick Castellanos and knocking Verlander out of the game after 104 pitches.
Harper added insurance in the seventh with a wind-aided two-run homer.
Key moment
The Giants appeared to have Jose Alvarado in trouble in the eighth, starting the inning with three hits and cutting their deficit to 6-4. But Alvarado forced Matt Chapman to pop to second, struck out Wilmer Flores and coaxed a flyout to the track by Casey Schmitt to limit the damage.
Key stat
Philadelphia centerfield Brandon Marsh went 0-for-3 on Tuesday night, extending his hitting drought to 0-for-29. Marsh did have a sacrifice fly in the second that scored Philadelphia’s second run.
Up next
Giants LHP Robbie Ray (3-0, 2.93 ERA) and Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (0-3, 5.51 ERA) meet up in the third game of a four-game set on Wednesday.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Kevin Cooney, The Associated Press
