Harper ejected early, Phils cooled late in Denver
The Philadelphia Phillies lost Bryce Harper early and a game late Friday night.
Harper was ejected after striking out in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies, who hours later pulled out a 3-2 win in 11 innings to snap the Phillies’ six-game winning streak.
Harper struck out on an 0-2 curveball from Ty Blach, dropped his bat and threw his helmet. The two-time National League MVP said something to plate umpire Brian Walsh and immediately was ejected.
Harper and Phillies manager Rob Thomson argued to no avail following Harper’s 21st big league ejection. Harper had called a timeout after taking a borderline 0-1 sinker that appeared to be low and inside.
“I wasn’t really that upset,” Harper said. “Obviously, I spiked my helmet, but that was a frustration from the call. And then I just kind of asked him, ‘Hey, wait, that was a strike, but where do you have it?’ I just wanted to have a conversation with you.
“Again, didn’t cuss and scream or anything really big. That’s kind of it. I’m not trying to get thrown out of the first inning in Colorado, obviously. So it’s a bummer, man. I could have doubled in the gap or homered, and the game’s changed, right?”
Via the pool report, crew chief Vic Carapazza said: “Brian gave him a long leash. He kept him in the game, and Bryce just kept arguing balls and strikes. At the end of the day, equipment violation is basically a big warning, and if you continue to talk about pitches, then Brian had to handle it.”
Jacob Stallings hit a tying home run with two outs in the ninth inning and Ezequiel Tovar had a winning single in the 11th for his career-best fourth hit in the Rockies’ victory, which ended Philadelphia’s streak of seven consecutive wins in series openers since an April 29 loss at the Los Angeles Angels.
The Phillies, a big league-best 37-15, had won nine of their previous 10 games.
Nick Castellanos and Edmundo Sosa homered in the fifth off Blach, who allowed five hits in 6⅔ innings.
Tovar had an RBI single in the fifth, and Stallings tied the score with his third homer this season, driving a first-pitch sinker from Jose Alvarado 427 feet to left-center. Alvarado blew a save for the first time in 10 chances this season.
Gregory Soto (0-1) intentionally walked Jordan Beck leading off the 11th to put runners on first and second then walked Ryan McMahon with one out. Tovar singled sharply into left.
Tyler Kinley (3-1) struck out two in a perfect 11th as the Rockies played a franchise-record third straight game of at least 11 innings.
Philadelphia loaded the bases with one out in the 10th inning, but Nick Mears froze Kyle Schwarber on a 2-2 curveball and retired J.T. Realmuto on a groundout.
“It’s stressful, obviously, against a team that is arguably the best team in baseball the way they are playing,” Rockies manager Bud Black said.
Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez gave up one run and seven hits in 5⅓ innings.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
