Kyle Schwarber’s grand slam too much for Angels to overcome in loss to Phillies
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PHILADELPHIA — Kyle Schwarber hit a grand slam in the sixth inning and Bryce Harper capped the scoring with a two-run homer in the eighth, carrying the Philadelphia Phillies to a 9-5 win over the Angels on Saturday night.
Schwarber’s shot to right field off reliever José Fermin was his eighth career grand slam and 32nd homer of the season.
Taylor Ward and Jo Adell hit back-to-back home runs for the Angels in the fourth inning for a 3-1 lead that wouldn’t stand after Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi left after five solid innings.
Mike Trout returns to Philadelphia closing in on two notable milestones while also talking about his chances of someday playing for his hometown team.
The Phillies ruined what could have been a big inning in the first, when Schwarber and Trea Turner got caught in rundowns and were tagged out on the same grounder by Harper. Nick Castellanos followed that with a two-out, RBI single for a 1-0 lead.
The Angels turned it around in the fourth on Ward’s and Adell’s home runs. Zach Neto also plated a run with a single that inning but the Angels left the bases loaded.
The Phillies got a run back on Turner’s RBI single in the fifth. Yoan Moncada hit a home run in the sixth to restore a two-run Angels lead.
Seth Johnson (1-0) struck out two in one inning of work. Sam Bachman (2-3) took the loss.
Key moment: Schwarber’s 32nd homer in the sixth moved him into a tie for second in the National League with the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani before Ohtani hit his 33rd Saturday night. Arizona’s Eugenio Suárez hit two home runs Saturday, which gave him 33.
Key stat: Harper has gone 12 for 24 over the past six games, with seven doubles and four home runs.
Up next: The Phillies will go with lefty Ranger Suárez (7-3, 2.15 ERA) against the Angels’ José Soriano (6-7, 3.90) in the Sunday series finale.
