Welcome to the Jhoan Duran Show: The new closer picks up his first save as Phillies rally past the Tigers

Jhoan Duran woke up at 3 a.m. Friday to catch a flight from Minneapolis to Philadelphia. He tried to sneak a nap in the hotel, but, well, he’s the father of a 3-year-old.

“My little boy,” he said, “he’s got a lot of energy.”

So there was Duran, on his first night as the Phillies' closer, stepping through the bullpen door at 9:28 p.m. A sold-out crowd stood. The lights went out. Flames shot across the right-field scoreboard, followed by five letters — DURAN — and crawling animated tarantulas.

And then, three minutes later, it was over. Groundout. Foul pop. Lineout. Three outs on four pitches — all “splinkers,” Duran’s splitter/sinker hybrid — and the Phillies tied a bow on a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over the American League-leading Tigers in a game with a decidedly October feel.

Welcome to the Jhoan Duran Show.

This is what it looks like to have an actual closer. A closer turns the ninth inning into a spectacle and a one-run lead into Game Over. It’s why the Phillies traded two top-100 prospects for a star closer in a deadline blockbuster this week.

» READ MORE: Even after the arrival of Harrison Bader, questions loom over the Phillies' outfield configuration

And despite all that led up to it — Bryce Harper’s ejection for arguing a check swing in the seventh inning, multiple lead changes, an overturned call that enabled the Phillies to pull ahead in the bottom of the eighth — Duran’s debut still pulsated.

“It was pretty interesting when everybody had their phones out and the lights on,” manager Rob Thomson said. “And he was electric. First pitch was a 98 mile-an-hour split. I don’t know if I’ve seen that before.”

Said starter Ranger Suárez, who dabbled in closing in 2021: “It’s maybe one of the best entrances that I’ve seen for a pitcher coming into a game.”

Duran’s dramatic entrance preceded him to Philadelphia, so much so that after hearing about the trade, Harper, ever the entertainer, texted two Phillies media relations staffers and said, “Hey, we’ve got to do this.” But we’ll get back to that in a moment.

First, the particulars of the comeback: The Phillies trailed 3-0 in the seventh inning and 4-3 in the eighth on Wenceel Pérez’s leadoff homer against Orion Kerkering. But they rallied to tie it on Otto Kemp’s RBI double, then took the lead when Edmundo Sosa reached on a throwing error by Tigers reliever Brenan Hanifee and Bryson Stott legged out a two-out grounder to shortstop.

Stott was ruled out on the field. But a replay challenge reversed the call, enabling Kemp to score the go-ahead run.

It was the Phillies’ third win in 40 games when trailing after seven innings. And coupled with the Mets’ 10-inning loss at home to the Giants, it put the Phillies (62-47) back in first place by a half-game in the NL East.

» READ MORE: The Phillies and Mets had different approaches at the trade deadline. Whose moves will be enough?

Oh, but there was more. Even before all that, with the go-ahead run on third and two out in the seventh inning, Harper thought he walked on a dirt-diving, full-count slider. But third-base umpire Vic Carapazza called him out on a check swing, then ejected him when he stepped toward third base to argue.

“I thought if I didn’t go on the first one [earlier in the at-bat], I didn’t go on the second one,” said Harper, who claimed he didn’t watch the replay. “Just can’t get run in that situation, especially the ninth inning possibly coming around and my at-bat coming up.”

Did Harper think it was an overly swift ejection?

“I mean, I left the batter’s box walking towards him,” he said. “So, I think it was warranted.”

It also meant that Harper was in the clubhouse for the Duran Show.

Before the game, Duran explained that Twins vice president of communications Dustin Morse approached him a few years ago with the idea of the lights-out entrance set to “El Incomprendido,” a club anthem.

The Phillies have tried to mimic everything, right down to the scoreboard tarantulas, a play on Duran’s spider tattoo.

But it’s only effective because of Duran’s lights-out pitching. With the splinker and a fastball that averages 100.2 mph, he has 67 saves and a 2.71 ERA over the last three seasons.

» READ MORE: New Phillie Jhoan Duran makes himself at home with No. 59, his walk-out show, and spiders

Duran started his first appearance for the Phillies with a first-pitch strike to pinch-hitting Colt Keith, who hit a hard grounder to shortstop on the next pitch. Spencer Torkelson fouled out to first base before Riley Greene, the Tigers’ best hitter, lined out to left field.

“To do it like that, only four pitches, it’s great,” Duran said. “Easy work.”

He paused.

“I don’t throw my fastball yet,” he said.

A few minutes earlier, John Middleton walked through the clubhouse. The Phillies’ owner doesn’t often wander in after games. But he’s hosting more than 50 former players for the team’s annual Alumni Weekend. This was a big night. In a pregame ceremony, the Phillies added Jimmy Rollins and former general manager Ed Wade to the Wall of Fame.

So, Middleton stopped at Duran’s locker to offer a handshake, a welcome, and congratulations.

“Thanks for coming,” Middleton said while the closer iced his arm.

The Phillies are sure happy to have Duran. They’ll keep turning out the ballpark lights for him.