The Philadelphia Phillies made a comeback from a pair of two-run deficits to score three times in the seventh inning on Sunday afternoon, securing the game against the Atlanta Braves. They were at risk of entering the eighth inning trailing by a run if it wasn’t for Johan Rojas. Rojas legged out a fielder’s choice that was initially ruled an inning-ending double play. Upon official review, the umpires confirmed that Rojas barely beat it out. Then, the next batter, leadoff man Kyle Schwarber, lined a single to center, extending the inning and paving the way for Trea Turner’s game-tying RBI single to right and Alec Bohm’s game-winning two-run knock to left.
The Phillies managed to hang on to win the game 5-4, avoiding a sweep by the Braves. However, Seranthony Dominguez made things interesting by allowing a run and putting the tying and go-ahead runs on the corners with two outs in the eighth. But Gregory Soto managed to pop Matt Olson up on the first pitch he threw, ultimately closing out the inning. Jose Alvarado closed it out in the ninth, two days after allowing a career-high five earned runs in the season opener.
Schwarber had two important at-bats against lefties, homering off Chris Sale to lead off the bottom of the first and singling off Aaron Bummer with two outs in the seventh. Sale entered with a career .203 opponents’ batting average vs. lefties, Bummer .198. Schwarber managed to get to them both. The day before, he singled off Max Fried to start the first inning.
If it wasn’t for Schwarber’s impressive performance, the Phillies would not have been in a position to win the game. Additionally, Schwarber is moving better than he did a year ago, when lower-body nicks and bruises took their toll. Schwarber stole third base on Saturday and went first-to-third on Turner’s single on Sunday.
