PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryce Harper homered, Ian Kennedy escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning and the Philadelphia Phillies held off the Dodgers 2-1 Thursday, ending Los Angeles' four-game winning streak.
The Dodgers were denied their first sweep in Philadelphia since 2012. The Phillies salvaged the finale of the three-game series and held their share of the NL East lead.
Harper hit his 21st homer and scored twice as the Phillies won with just four hits. The Philadelphia bullpen didn’t allow a hit in the final 4 2/3 innings, and the Dodgers finished with only three hits.
Kennedy walked Corey Seager with one out in the ninth, walked Cody Bellinger with two outs, then plunked pinch-hitter Will Smith in the arm to load the bases. Billy McKinney flied out to end the game.
It is Kennedy’s third save in six appearances with the Phillies since coming over in a July 30 trade with Texas.
Both teams used five pitchers.
Harper connected off Mitch White for a solo drive in the first that landed four rows above the flower beds in deep left-center field for Philadelphia’s first lead in the series. In the fourth, Harper walked and eventually scored a two-out single by Ronald Torreyes.
In the 36 games he’s played since July 2, Harper is hitting .328 with eight homers, 23 RBIs and 28 runs scored with a .444 on-base percentage. The Phillies are 23-13 in that span — a large reason why Harper’s name has emerged in a wide-open field for National League MVP.
Ranger Suarez, who is being stretched out into a starting role after serving as Philadelphia’s closer for a month, allowed three hits and one run in 4 1/3 innings before falling into trouble in the fifth, resulting in the Dodgers only run on Trea Turner's RBI groundout.
After Suarez departed, the Phillies used four different relievers — Enyel De Los Santos, Hector Neris, Archie Bradley (7-1) and Kennedy.
White, who was called in to fill one of the holes in Los Angeles’ rotation, allowed three hits in four innings, striking out four. The Dodgers gave up only one hit and struck out five in the final four innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers: 3B Justin Turner is projected to return to the Los Angeles lineup this weekend after missing the entire series in Philadelphia with left groin discomfort, according to manager Dave Roberts.
Phillies: C J.T. Realmuto was held out of the starting lineup one day after leaving in the first inning following two foul tips that caught him in the mask. General manager Sam Fuld told reporters that Realmuto cleared concussion protocol and would be available off the bench. Backup C Andrew Knapp took Realmuto’s spot in the lineup.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: Begin a three-game series at New York Mets on Friday. LHP Julio Urias (13-3, 3.41) will start Friday night’s game for the Dodgers.
Phillies: Host Cincinnati for three games beginning on Friday. RHP Zack Wheeler (10-6, 2.42 ERA) squares off against Reds RHP Tyler Mahle (9-3, 3.78).