Harper hits grand slam, streaking Phillies rout Blue Jays 10-1
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryce Harper hit a grand slam, Cristopher Sánchez pitched seven strong innings and the red-hot Philadelphia Phillies routed the Toronto Blue Jays 10-1 on Tuesday night.
Kody Clemens homered, tripled and drove in four runs for the Phillies, who have won seven straight games, 11 in a row at home and 18 of 21 overall. Philadelphia is leading baseball with 26 victories.
Danny Jansen and Alejandro Kirk each doubled for Toronto. The Blue Jays have lost six of seven.
Sánchez (2-3) gave up one run on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks.
Harper, who had three hits, chased José Berríos (4-3) with a bases-loaded drive to right with two outs in the fourth on a 2-0, 84 mph curveball to give the two-time NL MVP home runs in three consecutive contests.
Berríos entered play leading the majors with a 1.44 ERA and ended the night with a 2.85 mark after allowing eight runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. He surrendered more runs against the Phillies than the seven runs in seven starts over 43 2/3 innings before Tuesday.
Harper battled the Blue Jays star right-hander in the first inning, working out of an 0-2 hole to single after an eight-pitch at-bat. Nick Castellanos followed with a double to score Harper and put Philadelphia ahead 1-0.
Clemens, who was called up after shortstop Trea Turner was shelved for at least six weeks on Saturday with a left hamstring strain and in the lineup at third base following the end of Alec Bohm’s 18-game hitting streak on Monday, hit a two-run shot in the second and an RBI triple in the fourth.
In three games, Clemens is 4 for 9 with a double, triple, two homers and seven RBIs.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider wasn’t around to see the end after getting ejected by home plate umpire Andy Fletcher in the fourth when he removed Berríos for Trevor Richards.
The Phillies can tie the franchise record for consecutive home victories when they go for their fourth straight home series sweep on Wednesday. They won 12 in a row at home from July 8 to Aug. 6, 2010.
Philadelphia has had more victories through 37 games just twice before, in 1976 and 1993 when they started 27-10 in both seasons.
UP NEXT
Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (4-1, 3.32 ERA) opposes Toronto RHP Chris Bassitt (2-5, 5.45) on Wednesday.
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