Phillies walk off the Padres for second straight win

The Phillies pulled out a thrilling, 4-3 comeback victory over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday in Philadelphia. The win came right on the heels of Monday’s 9-2 laugher, and suddenly the team is looking like itself again.

After scuffling a bit on a long trip to London, Boston, and Baltimore, conventional wisdom suggested the Phillies would fare better back home at Citizens Bank Park. It also couldn’t hurt to play the Padres, a team the Phils have dominated in recent years.

In fact, following Tuesday’s win, the Phillies are now 25-3 in their last 28 home games and 15-3 in their last 18 games against the Padres (including the postseason).

The Fightins trailed this one 3-2 entering the ninth. Facing talented Padres reliever Robert Suarez (of Bedlam at the Bank fame), Bryce Harper led off the inning with a base hit. Alec Bohm singled to put runners on the corners, and Bryson Stott lined the third consecutive single of the inning to score Harper and tie the game at three. Nick Castellanos lined a double down the right field line to drive in Bohm and complete the comeback.

The game-winning double was Casty’s fourth hit of the night.

“We’re a really good team, and in order to beat us, you’ve got to put us away with all 27 outs,” said Castellanos afterwards. He now has three walk-off hits this season, the most in all of baseball. “Considering I haven’t had the best year, to be able to come through when the team needs it feels good.”

The final inning represented a sudden turnaround for a team that frustrated the fans at the Bank for most of the game. Through the first eight innings, the Phils went one for eight with runners in scoring position and left 12 on base.

Aaron Nola pitched reasonably well, sailing easily through five innings before the Padres tagged him for three runs in the sixth. Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm, and Jeff Hoffman retired San Diego in order in the seventh, eighth, and ninth, respectively. Their efforts set the stage for the comeback.

“I think we have a lot of strengths but our bullpen is certainly one of them,” said manager Rob Thomson. “We’ve got power arms, guys who throw strikes and come right after people. They can hold a team down and that’s what they did tonight.”

Kyle Schwarber helped out as well, hitting a solo home run in the eighth to cut the Padres’ lead to 3-2. The blast–Schwarber’s sixth June home run and his third home run of the series–gave the Phils some momentum heading into the final frame.

But in the end, the night belonged to Castellanos. His son, Liam, joined Stott and Brandon Marsh as they doused the rightfielder with water after the game.

The Phils will go for the sweep on Wednesday afternoon. Ranger Suarez (10-1, 1.77 ERA) will face RHP Matt Waldron (4-6, 3.66 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.