Kyle Schwarber made history by hitting his 14th leadoff homer of the season for the Philadelphia Phillies before exiting the game due to injury. Pinch-hitter Cal Stevenson later stepped in with a crucial two-run double in the eighth inning, helping the Phillies secure a 9-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.
The win put the Phillies at 29 games over .500, a season high for them, with Trea Turner contributing two two-run homers and Bryce Harper adding four hits to the team’s success.
Schwarber achieved the single-season leadoff homer record with his 35th homer of the season and the 45th leadoff homer of his career before leaving the game due to left elbow discomfort.
Stevenson, who was seldom used and called up from the minors to replace an injured player, delivered a crucial hit with a tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth inning, boosting the Phillies’ lead.
The game saw some tension as benches cleared when Edwin Uceta hit Nick Castellanos with a pitch after Bryce Harper’s double, leading to Uceta’s ejection from the game.
Jose Alvarado’s stellar pitching performance in the eighth inning earned him the victory, while the Rays managed to score four runs off Phillies’ starter Ranger Suarez in the early innings.
The Phillies and Rays will conclude their three-game series on Wednesday, with Zack Wheeler scheduled to pitch for Philadelphia and Shane Baz set to take the mound for the Rays.