LOS ANGELES (AP) — With the Philadelphia Phillies facing elimination, the team's struggling big three saved the season in a big way, at least for another day.
Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Trea Turner combined for seven hits and five RBIs to lead the Phillies to an 8-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night in the best-of-five NLDS.
Schwarber got back his postseason power, hitting a pair of home runs — including one that left the stadium.
He now has 23 career postseason home runs, third all-time.
The Phillies are still down 2-1 in the series and face another elimination game on Thursday. If they win, they’ll send the series back to Philadelphia for Game 5.
And it all started with Schwarber's big swing that went 455 feet over the right-field pavilion in the fourth inning to tie the game at 1. Then Harper and Turner got in on the act, too.
“We want to go in and do our job everyday,” Harper said. “Any time we have Kyle going or Trea going or myself or anybody else, we’re going to win games. I think we all know that. When we’re not doing our job, we’re probably not going to win many games. That’s something we need to do (Thursday), come in, do our job, have fun and enjoy it. Obviously, it’s a great opportunity to play this game. We have a lot of fun doing it.”
The big three were 7 for 13 with five RBIs, four runs, two walks and Turner’s two stolen bases.
Schwarber’s first shot was unmistakably the potion the Phillies needed from the top of their lineup. The Phillies scored three runs in the fourth, took a 3-1 lead and never looked back.
“Ridiculous how far that ball went,” Turner said of Schwarber’s solo shot. “I just think the vibes, the energy it’s something to build off. Sometimes, it’s hard to create your own momentum. You’ve got to build off things like that. No better way than a ball leaving the stadium.”
Harper and Schwarber were 1 for 15 with eight strikeouts in the first two games of the series.
The Phillies still have work to do as only two teams have ever come back from a 2-0 deficit to win the NLDS.
But with hitting becoming contagious for Turner, Schwarber and Harper, the Phillies found hope.
Schwarber had a two-run shot off Clayton Kershaw in the eighth after Turner singled leading off.
“I think just trying to get back and respond there after they score a run is a big thing for us,” Schwarber said. “That’s something we have a knack for here. That’s something that’s never going to leave us. We have to keep that same feeling, that same fight, but it’s just nice to get the answer back.”
___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
