Didi Gregorius hit a grand slam in the first inning and the host Philadelphia Phillies held on to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-4 on Wednesday.
The Phillies won their third in a row and will have a chance at a four-game sweep on Thursday.
It was the Phillies’ seventh consecutive one-run game, their longest stretch since June 22-28, 1980.
Phillies starter Chase Anderson lasted 4 1/3 innings and gave up four hits and three runs. Anderson struck out two but struggled with his command and walked four.
Brandon Kintzler (2-1) earned the win in relief while Jose Alvarado returned from a two-game suspension to pick up his second save in two opportunities by tossing a scoreless ninth inning. Alvarado struck out Travis Shaw swinging with Lorenzo Cain on second to end the game.
Tyrone Taylor homered while Avisail Garcia added four hits and three RBIs for the Brewers. Cain walked three times.
Brewers starter Freddy Peralta (3-1) allowed four hits and five runs in four innings. He struck out eight and walked three.
The Phillies jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Rhys Hoskins lined a single to right-center field, scoring Andrew McCutchen from second. Gregorius soon crushed a grand slam to right for a 5-0 advantage. It was the eighth career grand slam for Gregorius.
The Brewers loaded the bases with two outs in the third and Garcia blooped an RBI single to center to close within 5-1. Initially, Milwaukee had two runners score but Daniel Vogelbach was called out at home after video replay.
In the fifth, Taylor ripped a pinch-hit home run and Garcia added a two-run single off JoJo Romero to get within 5-4.
Garcia’s fourth hit, a leadoff double in the eighth, was smacked to right off Enyel De Los Santos. Luke Maile was hit by a pitch to eventually put runners at first and third with two outs. Taylor grounded out to end the threat.
The Phillies managed only one hit following their five-run outburst in the first.
–Field Level Media