Stevenson scores the winning run and then hits a home run to lead the Phillies past the Mets. Originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Four nights ago he called it the greatest batting performance of his life.
This was the biggest game of his life.
Cal Stevenson scored his second late game-winner of the week, hitting a two-run double in the seventh inning on Saturday to give the team the lead, then leaping over the center-field wall 10 minutes later to steal a home run from JD Martinez to tie the game.
Stevenson perfectly tracked and timed Martinez’s deep fly ball early in the eighth inning and caught it with the palm of his glove to preserve the Phillies’ lead in a 6-4 victory over the Mets.
“It’s kind of moving in slow motion, because when it’s up there you know you have time,” he said. “Thank God I squeezed on top of it. I think I almost jumped too far to catch it.”
The 28-year-old reserve outfielder was also the hero on Tuesday night, hitting a game-winning two-run double with one out in the eighth inning against the Rays. Stevenson was recalled from Triple A last week and is making the most of his increased playing time as Austin Hays is out with a kidney infection.
“This is the best, this is definitely the best,” Stevenson said of Saturday compared to Tuesday. “It was a good (week). It feels good to contribute to this team this late in the year. We’re battling for a top spot and the best record in baseball. Obviously, I don’t get many opportunities, so when I get to it, I want to make the most of it.”
Big names like Bryce Harper and Trea Turner have stepped up for the Phillies this week, but they have won four of five games largely because their relievers have stepped up. On Monday, Buddy Kennedy and Kody Clemens were key players in the walk-off. On Tuesday and Saturday, Stevenson provided the late lead. On Wednesday, Weston Wilson had the game-winning infield hit and third catcher Aramis Garcia caught a runner trying to steal second base with no one out in the ninth inning of a one-run game.
“I told (Cal) today, I told Buddy the other day, I said if you can get those at-bats done in that situation, you can get any at-bat done in your career,” Harper reported. “In that moment, over 40,000 people, a big situation, I think that’s why we rely so heavily on our young guys, on guys like that, because we know they can do it. I don’t think the moment was too big at all.”
Saturday’s win evened the Phillies’ series with the Mets, improving it to 89-59 with 14 games remaining. It looked like a loss for a while before Harper gave the dugout and the sellout crowd of 44,563 two huge bursts of energy, finally ending a five-week drought with two home runs in two innings.
Harper went 128 at-bats without a home run from Aug. 9 through Saturday. He ripped the ball all week at Citizens Bank Park, but had to settle for doubles (and a single) off the wall.
“I don’t think I missed anything. I don’t understand why the ball isn’t flying,” he said Tuesday after hitting three doubles. “You hit it at 108 (mph) in 20 or 22 (degrees) and it doesn’t fly across the yard. I’ve never seen anything like that on The Bank.”
On Saturday, it all ended in the bottom of the fourth inning when Harper hit a solo hit over the left-center field wall against Luis Severino. When he was at bat in the bottom of the sixth inning, he hit a no-doubter to right field, a two-run hit and his 28th of the year.
Except for Harper, the Phillies were 1-for-18 in the first six innings, but quickly got two men on base in the seventh with consecutive singles by Bryson Stott and JT Realmuto. Brandon Marsh hit a foul bunt for strike one, but then put a beautiful ball down third base to advance both runners. The successful sacrifice bunt has eluded the Phillies for most of the year, and players like Marsh and Johan Rojas could get a major sacrifice opportunity in the postseason.
Wilson struck out looking for the second out in the seventh inning, and Stevenson fell behind 1-2 against 99-mph right-hander Reid Garrett before bouncing his double off the right-field wall. He received a roar of applause when he caught the final out in the eighth inning, three batters after stealing the ball from Martinez. Realmuto provided the safety with an RBI double with two outs in the bottom half.
The Phillies have a 21-9 record against the other five teams in the National League playoff positions, far better than anyone else. The Padres are 20-20, the Diamondbacks 19-21, the Dodgers 19-24, the Mets 14-17 and the Brewers 10-12.
The Phils will seek the series win on Sunday at 1:35 p.m. Cristopher Sanchez (10-9, 3.33) starts opposite left-hander David Peterson (9-2, 2.98).
“We’re eight games ahead of them, but there’s still some time left and we’re trying to put some distance between them,” Stevenson said. “It was a good feeling for the guys that we got it done, especially with two outs toward the end of the game.”
