Kyle Schwarber launches 30th homer of the season to lift Phillies past Mets
Schwarber's two-run homer put the Phillies back in front on Sunday. But their need for another right-handed hitter was on display as the bullpen looked thin.
NEW YORK — Kyle Schwarber watched it go.
Just a guess, but when you’ve hit as many homers as the Phillies’ star slugger — 30 this season, more than any player in baseball; 370 in his career, tied fittingly with 1969 Miracle Mets manager Gil Hodges for 87th all-time — you probably know it when you feel it.
So, although Schwarber skied a two-strike fastball to one of the most remote regions of Citi Field, there wasn’t really much doubt, was there?
With one swing, he covered up another Phillies wart.
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OK, so they still have issues, some of which were on display here Sunday in a series-winning 5-4 victory over the Mets.
For one thing, they need another right-handed hitter. And when the starting pitcher doesn’t go at least six innings (Jesús Luzardo lasted only five after the Phillies used an opener in the fifth-starter spot Saturday), it leaves the bullpen thin.
In this case, Chase Shugart turned a 3-1 lead into a 4-3 deficit the sixth inning. And after Schwarber put the Phillies back in front, José Alvarado and Orion Kerkering tightrope-walked their way through the seventh and eighth.
But all’s well that ends well for the Phillies, who held on to cap a 5-2 road trip to Washington and New York and move to within 3½ games of first place pending the Braves’ outcome in San Francisco.
Once again, they can thank Schwarber.
Facing Mets righty Kodai Senga in the seventh inning, Schwarber got four consecutive forkballs. He fouled off the last two, extending the at-bat and forcing Senga to throw a fastball.
And then ... boom.
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It’s the fastest that Schwarber has reached 30 homers in his career, topping even last season when he had 30 at the All-Star break and finished with 56, a career-high.
But it’s also the fewest games into a season (84) that any Phillies player ever has gotten to 30 homers. Ryan Howard had 28 homers through 84 games in 2006, when he set the franchise record with 58.
Schwarber is on a 58-homer pace, which would leave him three homers shy of 400 at the end of the season.
The Phillies (47-37) return home Monday night to face the Pirates in their final homestand before the All-Star break.
Ricky Bottalico spouts opinions each day on sports-talk radio and the Phillies' television pre- and postgame show. But before all that, he had a solid career as a relief pitcher, even representing the Phillies in the 1996 All-Star Game at Veterans Stadium. With the baseball world set to descend on Philly again in a few weeks, Ricky Bo joined "Phillies Extra" to re-live his All-Star experience. Watch here.
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