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PHILADELPHIA – It didn’t take long.
Phillies wide receiver JT Realmuto smashed an opposing two-run home run in the 10th inning Sunday afternoon to beat the Marlins, 4-2, at Citizens Bank Park. He finished a suspended game at the top of the 10th on Saturday night because of the rain. From José Alvarado’s first pitch to resume play early in the 10th to the explosion of Realmuto, it took the Phillies 14 minutes to win.
That moved them to two games from the Mets for first place in the National East League.
“I knew he won the game,” Realmuto told the Phillies broadcasters on NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I knew it was at least a sack fly. It was then that the first pump came out immediately. I have enough to go out, so that’s good.
Realmuto hit a 0-2 fastball from Yimi García well up and out of the area. It was Realmuto’s fourth career hit, but his first hit with the Phillies.
“I’m just trying to stay as short as possible,” Realmuto said of hitting the fastball high.
The Phillies could have won without the heroism of Realmuto on Sunday. They were leading 2-0 in the ninth inning on Saturday, but Ranger Suárez missed his first save as the Phillies closed in. He gave Starling Marte a start single and Jesús Aguilar a two-run homerun in the ninth to tie the score at 2.
It was the Phillies’ 23rd stoppage of the season. They broke a franchise record of 25 in 2004.
Suárez, who assumed his new role of closest on July 3, converted each of his first three stoppage opportunities.
Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez pitched five scoreless innings on Saturday. He’s 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in three starts this season against the Marlins, striking 16 out and walking five in 18 innings. Elias’s athletic office said it was the longest scoreless streak in a single season for a Phillies pitcher against Miami. Only Ryan Madson had a longer scoreless streak against the Marlins in 18 1/3 innings in 2007-09.
Velasquez is 1-4 with a 6.52 ERA (43 earned runs in 59 1/3 innings) this season against everyone.
Héctor Neris threw two scoreless innings in relief. Archie Bradley threw one aimlessly.
Alvarado started on the 10th Saturday with automatic runner Sandy León on second. He was 1-1 against Jon Berti when the rain hit the pitch. On Sunday, Alvarado recovered there to take out the only three hitters he faced and give the Phillies a chance to win on an outing.
“He’s awesome,” Realmuto said of Alvarado. “When he fills the strike zone … he’s practically untouchable.”
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