Stevenson delivers game-winner, then robs a HR to lead Phillies past Mets originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Four nights ago, he called it the biggest at-bat of his life.
This was the biggest game of his life.
Cal Stevenson delivered his second late game-winner of the week, hitting a go-ahead two-run double in the seventh inning Saturday, then leaping over the wall in center field to rob J.D. Martinez of a game-tying homer 10 minutes later.
Stevenson perfectly tracked and timed Martinez’ deep flyball to begin the top of the eighth, coming down with it to preserve the Phillies‘ lead in a 6-4 win over the Mets.
The 28-year-old reserve outfielder was also the hero on Tuesday night, hitting the game-winning two-run double with one out in the eighth against the Rays. Stevenson was recalled last week from Triple A and is making the most of increased playing time with Austin Hays sidelined by a kidney infection.
The big guns like Bryce Harper and Trea Turner have come through for the Phillies this week but they’ve won four of five games largely because their depth pieces have stepped up. On Monday, Buddy Kennedy and Kody Clemens keyed the walk-off. On Tuesday and Saturday, Stevenson provided the late lead. On Wednesday, Weston Wilson had the game-winning infield hit and third-string catcher Aramis Garcia nailed a runner trying to steal second with nobody out in the ninth inning of a one-run game.
Saturday’s win evened the Phillies’ series with the Mets and improved them to 89-59 with 14 games to play. It looked for a while like a loss before Harper provided two huge jolts of energy to the dugout and sellout crowd of 44,563, finally ending a five-week personal home run drought with two in the span of two innings.
Harper went 128 plate appearances from August 9 through Saturday without a homer. He’s been ripping the ball all week at Citizens Bank Park but settling for doubles (and a single) off the wall.
“I don’t think I missed anything. I don’t understand how the ball’s not going,” he said on Tuesday after doubling three times. “You hit it at 108 (mph) at 20 or 22 (degrees) and it’s not going outta the yard. I’ve never seen that at The Bank.”
It all ended in the bottom of the fourth Saturday when Harper sent a solo shot over the wall in left-center against Luis Severino. Batting in the bottom of the sixth, he cracked a no-doubter to right field, a two-run shot and his 28th of the year.
Excluding Harper, the Phillies had been 1-for-18 over the first six innings but put two men on base quickly in the seventh with consecutive singles by Bryson Stott and J.T. Realmuto. Brandon Marsh bunted foul for strike one but then laid a nice one down the third-base line to advance both runners. The successful sacrifice bunt has eluded the Phillies much of the year, and players like Marsh and Johan Rojas could find themselves in an important sacrifice opportunity in the postseason.
Wilson struck out looking for the second out of the seventh and Stevenson fell behind in the count 1-2 against 99 mph-throwing righty Reid Garrett before lacing his double off the wall in right. He received a massive ovation when catching the final out of the eighth, three batters after robbing Martinez. Realmuto provided insurance with a two-out RBI double in the bottom half.
The Phillies are 21-9 against the other five teams in National League playoff position, far better than any of the rest. The Padres are 20-20, the Diamondbacks are 19-20, the Dodgers are 19-23, the Mets are 14-17 and the Brewers are 9-12.
The Phils go for the series win on Sunday at 1:35 p.m. Cristopher Sanchez (10-9, 3.33) starts opposite left-hander David Peterson (9-2, 2.98).
