Phillies beat Padres 8-6, sweep three-game series at Petco Park Which Made Padres Head Coach Stranded
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Bryson Stott hit two two-run homers, J.T. Realmuto also connected and Taijun Walker made a slick behind-the-back catch in his season debut to help the Philadelphia Phillies beat the San Diego Padres 8-6 on Sunday for their first road sweep of the season.
The Phillies overwhelmed the Padres with nine homers and terrific starting pitching in becoming the first team to sweep San Diego this year. The Padres haven’t seemed to recover from blowing a late five-run lead at Colorado on Thursday and losing 10-9. Although they briefly had the lead Sunday, the Padres lost their season-high fourth straight game.
After starting 0-2, the Phillies have won 19 of their last 27 games. They’ve swept three of their last four series and are a season-high nine games over .500
“Feels like every day, every night, it’s a new pitcher shutting down an inning, it’s a new hitter driving guys in,” Stott said. “That’s what you need as a team, is one through nine, just winning all types of different games. … It feels like everyone is kind of clicking.”
Walker (1-0) opened the season on the injured list with right shoulder soreness and was activated earlier Sunday from a rehab assignment. He pitched into the seventh after Aaron Nola and Ranger Suárez each went eight innings in the first two games.
Walker was chased by pinch-hitter Luis Campusano’s three-run homer with one out in the seventh that pulled the Padres to 7-6. Walker also allowed Jake Cronenworth’s two-run shot in the third. The right-hander allowed six runs and eight hits, struck out four and walked two.
“Everyone’s pitching well and the team’s rolling,” Walker said. “I just want to be part of it and be out there with the guys. I just want to go deep in innings and do my part. I don’t feel I did that all the way today, but the offense did really well, the defense did well and the team’s hot right now. I got the first one out of the way.”
José Alvarado pitched a perfect ninth for his fifth save in as many opportunities.
Stott, the No. 8 hitter, had his first career multiple-homer game. He connected with one out in the second for a 2-0 lead and again with two outs in the fourth for a 4-3 lead. Stott has three this season. Nick Castellanos walked ahead of Stott both times.
“It’s always good to put some good swings on the ball, especially when you have a few games in a row when you feel you’re a little off or something like that,” Stott said.
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Stott grew up in Las Vegas and said he’d make trips with family and friends to watch big league games at San Diego and Anaheim.
“I remembered the balls at night weren’t really flying but good thing I hit them in the daytime, I guess,” he said.
