PHILADELPHIA — Kody Clemens singled with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth after Tampa Bay had tied the score in the top of the inning, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Rays 2-1 on Monday night.
Kyle Schwarber homered and Cristopher Sánchez pitched six shutout innings to help NL East-leading Philadelphia begin a six-game homestand with its 48th home victory of the season. The Phillies entered tied with the Dodgers for the most home wins in baseball.
Brandon Lowe hit the tying homer for the Rays, who began play five games out of a wild-card spot in the American League.
Manuel Rodríguez got the first out in the bottom of the ninth before being relieved by Garrett Cleavinger (3-5), who loaded the bases with two outs on a pair of singles and a walk. Clemens lined a 1-0, 95-mph sinker into right field to draw loud “KO-DY! KO-DY!” cheers from the crowd of 39,511.
Carlos Estévez (4-4) blew his fifth save and second in six chances with the Phillies since being acquired prior to the July trade deadline in the top of the inning. Lowe led off the ninth with a drive to deep center. Johan Rojas appeared to make a stellar, leaping catch against the wall in left-center in the deepest part of the park, but the ball popped out of Rojas’ glove and over the fence for a home run after his glove hit the top of the outfield wall.
The Phillies finished with five hits but didn’t get their first until Schwarber’s shot with one out in the sixth.
After Rays opener Cole Sulser pitched a scoreless first, Tyler Alexander retired his first 13 batters before Schwarber’s drive that traveled an estimated 447 feet. It was the sixth homer in seven games for Schwarber.
Sánchez struck out four and gave up four hits in six innings. Orion Kerkering tossed a 1-2-3 seventh, and Jeff Hoffman worked out of a jam in the eighth.
The Rays were vying for the fifth no-hitter in the majors this season and the second in franchise history, following Matt Garza’s no-hitter against Detroit on July 26, 2010. Philadelphia has been no-hit 22 times, which is the most in baseball.
Tampa Bay threatened in the eighth against Hoffman, putting runners on first and third with two outs on singles by Yandy Díaz and Jonny DeLuca. But Hoffman struck out Junior Caminero for the final out to keep the Rays off the board.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: C JT Realmuto (left knee contusion) was out of the lineup for the third straight game.
UP NEXT
Rays RHP Taj Bradley (6-10, 4.40) opposes Phillies LHP Ranger Suárez (12-6, 2.90) in the second game of the series on Tuesday night.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
