*Photo from CBS Sports*
Bryce Harper delivered a vintage Bryce Harper moment, Brad Miller homered twice, and the Philadelphia Phillies kept pace in the NL wild card race with a huge 9-4 win over the Cleveland Indians. Harper's 33rd homer of the season led the Phillies to victory, and kept their playoff hopes alive. Harper said that ''That's what I love, you step in the box and try to have good at-bats. Sometimes you're going to do it. Sometimes you're not.''
It was the Indians that took the early lead. In the first, Carlos Santana and Franmil Reyes each had RBI singles to put Cleveland ahead 2-0 early. In the second, Adam Haseley hit an RBI double to put the Phillies on the board. Oscar Mercado then increased the Cleveland lead by belting a two run homer to center field to make it 4-1. In the 4th, Miller cut the lead to two with a solo homer to center field. In the 5th, Harper hit his clutch 3 run homer to make it 5-4 Phillies. Jay Bruce then hit a solo shot after Harper to make it 6-4. In the 9th, Harper hit a sac fly, Cesar Hernandez hit an RBI single, and Miller hit his second homer of the game to make it 9-4.
Indians starter Zach Plesac went 4 1/3 innings, giving up 4 runs on 5 hits and two walks. He struck out 3 hitters. It was Oliver Perez who got the loss for the Indians, as he gave up the homer to Harper. His record fell to 2-4. James Hoyt finished the 5th for Cleveland. Manager Terry Francona said of Harper's homer that ''I mean it's a guy that he has historically had a really tough time against and he fouled off enough pitches and he's a good enough hitter where he got something that was spinning and caught the plate and he hurt us."
Former all star Jason Vargas got the win for the Phillies. He pitched 6 2/3 innings and gave up 4 runs on 5 hits and two walks. He struck out 8 Indians to improve his record to 7-8. Jared Hughes, Jose Alvarez, and Edgar Garcia finished the game in relief of Vargas. You could sort of consider this as the Brad Miller revenge tour, as he opened the season as Cleveland's starting second baseman. He was DFA'd by the club in May and bashed the Indians after, saying that they didn't want the best players. He went 2-4 with his two homers.
With the Indians loss and wins by the Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays, the Indians were forced out of the wild card in the AL, sitting one game back of Tampa Bay and 3 back of Oakland. The Phillies remain 5 games behind of the Milwaukee Brewers for the second NL wild card spot, needing to catch the Brewers, New York Mets, and the Chicago Cubs with one week to play. The Phillies will send RHP Vince Velasquez to the hill Sunday afternoon. Velasquez has won his last 3 starts. Cleveland counters with Adam Plutko in the last game of the regular season at home for the Indians.
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