Turner steals, Luzardo deals as Phillies hand Dodgers first loss of season

PHILADELPHIA — Trea Turner broke for third base, surprising Dodgers star pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The right-hander stepped off the rubber and fired toward a sprinting Miguel Rojas as the infielder scurried to cover the bag.

Yamamoto’s throw went wide, and Turner strolled to home plate as the ball rolled into foul territory. The speedy Phillies shortstop stole third — and a first-inning run — to start off a three-game series with Los Angeles, the hottest team in all of Major League Baseball.

From there, Jesús Luzardo, who tossed seven electric innings in his home debut in Philadelphia, took over. Luzardo allowed just two hits and no runs, striking out eight batters as the Phillies handed the Dodgers their first loss, 3-2, on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park.

Turner’s dash set the stage for this clash of National League contenders. He made an impact with his legs, hooking a double past third for Philadelphia’s first hit of the game and creating havoc on the bases. Turner added a walk along with the double and had a sharp day in the field, an all-around performance against his former club.

The Phillies (6-1) gave Luzardo a lead, and the lefty went to work. He pumped his fastball 98 mph in the first inning. He gave up some hard contact, but he was dazzling once again. He hasn’t allowed a run in 12 innings to begin the year. Already known to be a talented pitcher, Luzardo has been better than advertised in two starts as a Phillie.

Philadelphia added two more runs in the seventh on a run-scoring single by Bryson Stott and an RBI ground out by Brandon Marsh on a hit-and-run with first and third occupied. The cushion was necessary as the Dodgers (8-1) brought late pressure. But catcher J.T. Realmuto had other plans.

Los Angeles put runners on the corners in the eighth, but Realmuto gunned down Shohei Ohtani trying to steal second to end the top of the inning and neutralize the threat. The ninth inning was dicey for Phillies reliever Jordan Romano as he allowed a two-run home run to Tommy Edman. But Realmuto played hero for the second frame in a row, throwing out Chris Taylor at second base for a strike-him-out, throw-him-out double play to end the game.

The end wasn’t the prettiest, but it was a strong start to a weekend of baseball against the defending World Series champions.