Realmuto's Late Double Secures Phillies' Victory Over Padres

In a pivotal moment, J.T. Realmuto delivered a crucial double in the eighth inning, driving in Bryce Harper and securing a 2-1 victory for the Philadelphia Phillies against the San Diego Padres on Sunday. This win prevented the Phillies from being swept in the three-game series.

Cristopher Sánchez showcased his skills on the mound, pitching 7 1/3 innings and earning praise from fans as he exited the game. The left-hander, now 8-2 for the season, limited the Padres to just one run and six hits while striking out six batters and walking three.

With two outs and the Padres' lefty reliever Adrian Morejon on the mound, Harper capitalized on a defensive shift, sending a powerful shot down the third base line that rolled into left field. Following a strikeout of Nick Castellanos by David Morgan, Realmuto stepped up and doubled into the left-center gap, bringing Harper home. Morgan's frustration was evident as he shouted into his glove.

Harper was instrumental in both runs for the Phillies. He initially scored in the first inning after a series of errors by the Padres. After drawing a two-out walk from Nick Pivetta, he advanced due to Manny Machado's throwing error and an infield single by Realmuto, ultimately crossing home plate thanks to another throwing error by first baseman Luis Arraez.

The Padres managed to tie the game in the sixth inning when Jose Iglesias hit a single that slipped past diving second baseman Bryson Stott, allowing Machado to score.

Pivetta had a strong outing, striking out eight batters while allowing only one unearned run and three hits over 6 2/3 innings, with two walks issued.

In a tense ninth inning, after intentionally walking All-Star Fernando Tatis Jr. to load the bases, former Padres reliever Matt Strahm secured his sixth save by getting Arraez to line out to left field.

This matchup concluded with both teams splitting their season series at 3-3, with each team winning two games at home. The Phillies will now prepare for a three-game home series against the Los Angeles Angels starting Friday night, while the Padres head to Washington for their own three-game series on the same day.