Ranger Suárez, J.T. Realmuto lead Phillies to victory in Kansas City
Final Score: Phillies 11, Royals 2
For the first time in more than a month, Ranger Suárez toed the rubber for the Phillies on Saturday night. The left-hander looked sharp through four innings, limiting the Royals to just one hit — a two-out double by Vinnie Pasquantino in the top of the first. Suárez got through the first four innings on just 46 pitches.
He hit a rough patch in the fifth, though. After striking out Hunter Renfroe to begin the inning, Suárez gave up a double and a single that plated a run for Kansas City. The Royals got another baserunner on with an infield single. So with one out, Suárez found himself in a jam. He also seemed to be running out of gas.
But, to no surprise, the Phillies’ southpaw didn’t flinch. Suárez struck out Kyle Isbel and leadoff hitter Maikel Garcia to end the inning and the threat. Altogether, Suárez tossed 26 pitches in the bottom of the fifth. It was his last inning of the night.
The RBI single the Phillies’ starter gave up in the fifth inning cut his team’s lead in half. But the 2-1 lead didn’t last long. In the sixth, with Nick Castellanos and Bryson Stott on the corners, J.T. Realmuto stepped to the plate against Royals’ starter Brady Singer.
Singer, looking tired with a pitch count closing in on 100, tossed three straight balls to Realmuto to begin the at-bat. The right-hander then left a fastball over the heart of the plate and Realmuto didn’t miss as he hammered the ball deep into the left-field seats for a three-run homer. The Phillies’ backstop wasn’t done there.
Two innings later, with Castellanos and Stott on the bases again, Realmuto launched his second three-run shot of the night, putting his club in a comfortable position with a six-run lead. For good measure, Realmuto drove in another run in the ninth on a groundout for his seventh RBI — a new career-high.
With their win, the Phillies are now 75-54 on the season and remain five games ahead of the Braves in the standings.
Highlights
- A Trea Turner single in the top of the third inning plated Kyle Schwarber from second base to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead.
- In the fifth, Turner, after legging out an infield single, scored from first on a double by Bryce Harper, extending the Phillies lead to 2-0.
- The Royals’ RBI single in the fifth came off the bat of Freddy Fermin. Michael Massey scored on the play.
- Realmuto’s first homer was the Phillies’ first long ball in six days.
- The Royals made it a 5-2 game in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a sacrifice fly by Fermin.
- Realmuto’s second home run landed 424 feet from home plate.
- Rob Thomson’s club added two more runs to the scoreboard in the eighth. A double by Austin Hays drove Brandon Marsh in from second, and two batters later, Turner recorded his second RBI single of the game, which plated pinch-runner Johan Rojas from second base.
- Realmuto’s groundout in the ninth inning plated Weston Wilson.
Notes
- According to the Phillies, Realmuto’s seven RBIs tied the franchise record for most RBIs in a single game by a catcher, joining Carlos Ruiz.
- To make room for Suárez on the 26-man roster, the Phillies optioned left-hander Tyler Gilbert to Triple-A Lehigh Valley following Friday’s game. Gilbert pitched in one game for the club, throwing two innings in Friday night’s loss to Kansas City.
- Rob Thomson talked about the Phillies’ starting pitching before Saturday’s game and announced Kolby Allard as the team’s starter for Sunday’s series finale against the Royals.
Ticket IQ Next Game
- Sunday, August 25 vs. Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium
- 2:10 p.m. ET
- TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia and ESPN+
- Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
- Spanish Radio: WTTM 1680
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