PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kyle Schwarber hit two home runs, Derek Hill singled with the bases loaded in the 12th inning and the Philadelphia Phillies avoided a three-game series sweep with a 7-6 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday.
Starting pitcher Jesús Luzardo struck out 12 in seven sharp innings for the Phillies, who began play with a one-game cushion in the NL wild-card race.
Andrés Giménez had a two-run single in Toronto’s three-run eighth inning
that tied the game at 5.
After Toronto went ahead in the top of the 12th on Jesús Sánchez’s double-play groundout off Caleb Kilian (4-7), the Phillies tied it on Bryson Stott’s RBI single in the bottom of the inning. Hill, who came in as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning, lined a single off Lazaro Estrada (1-1) just past the diving effort of shortstop Giménez.
Philadelphia looked as if it was going to win in the 11th before Myles Straw started an inning-ending double play with a strong throw to the plate from right field that was in time to get pinch-runner Garrett Stubbs, who trying to score from third on Brandon Marsh’s fly ball.
Luzardo allowed two runs on four hits with one walk while reaching double-digits in strikeouts for the fifth time this season.
Schwarber hit homers Nos. 34 and 35 off Blue Jays starter Shane Bieber. His three-run drive in the third broke a scoreless tie, marking his first homer since July 18. The runner-up in the All-Star Home Run Derby, Schwarber then led off the fifth with another drive to make it 4-2.
Luzardo’s only blips came on RBI singles by Alejandro Kirk and Brett Bateman in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively.
The Phillies improved to 48-19 when either Luzardo, Zack Wheeler, or Cristopher Sánchez starts.
Bieber gave up five runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Blue Jays: Start a seven-game homestand on Monday night against Boston. Toronto RHP Jameson Taillon (2-6, 5.96) faces Red Sox RHP Sonny Gray (14-2, 2.78).
Phillies: Begin three-game series at St. Louis on Monday night. Philadelphia RHP Andrew Painter (1-8, 6.48) oppose Cardinals RHP Hunter Dobbins (2-2, 3.60).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
