Phillies Dominate Giants 13-0, Verlander Remains Winless
Bryce Harper showcased his power at the plate, hitting a home run and doubling three times, as the Philadelphia Phillies overwhelmed the San Francisco Giants with a 13-0 victory on Wednesday. Jesús Luzardo delivered a stellar performance, striking out seven batters while allowing just three hits over seven innings, further complicating Justin Verlander's struggles this season.
Verlander, now 0-7 in his first year with the Giants, faced challenges throughout the game. The 42-year-old right-hander allowed four runs—two of which were unearned—across six innings, striking out seven without issuing a walk. This marked his 15th start of the season, extending his winless streak to an unprecedented level; previously, he had never gone more than seven starts without a victory.
The Phillies opened the scoring with an unearned run in the second inning. Harper then launched his 10th home run of the season in the fourth, sending a powerful shot to left field off Verlander. The momentum continued in the sixth when Harper led off with a double, setting the stage for a two-run inning that further solidified Philadelphia's lead.
In the eighth inning, the Phillies exploded for seven runs against San Francisco's bullpen. Kyle Schwarber delivered a significant blow with a three-run homer off Scott Alexander, marking his 29th home run of the season. The Giants turned to Mike Yastrzemski, typically an outfielder, to pitch the ninth inning. He surrendered two runs but managed to retire Harper on a foul popup to conclude the frame.
The Giants' best opportunity against Luzardo came in the second inning when they had runners on first and second with one out. However, Luzardo struck out both Jung Hoo Lee and Luis Matos to escape the jam unscathed. This game also represented Verlander's sixth quality start of the season, defined by pitching at least six innings while allowing no more than three earned runs.
Looking ahead, Philadelphia's left-handed pitcher Ranger Suárez (7-2, 1.99 ERA) is set to take the mound against San Diego on Friday night. Meanwhile, the Giants will host the Dodgers with right-hander Logan Webb (8-6, 2.62) on the hill against RHP Dustin May (5-5, 4.52).