The Philadelphia Phillies staged a remarkable comeback with two ninth-inning home runs to defeat the Los Angeles Angels 7-5 on Tuesday night, evening up their three-game series in Anaheim, Calif.
Nick Castellanos leveled the score at 5-5 with one out, launching a solo shot to right field off Angels closer Carlos Estevez, who was aiming for a four-out save.
Following a ground-rule double from Bryson Stott, Johan Rojas then sent Estevez deep to left for his first homer of the year, giving the Phillies a 7-5 lead. With this victory, the Phillies, who have been in red-hot form, have now won 12 of their last 15 games.
The Angels, missing their injured star center fielder Mike Trout due to a torn left meniscus, have struggled, losing 10 of their last 12 games.
In the sixth inning, Luis Rengifo gave the Angels a 4-3 lead by hitting a first-pitch slider from Phillies right-hander Spencer Turnbull for a three-run homer into the right-center field seats. The Angels then extended their lead on Mickey Moniak’s RBI single to right.
Alec Bohm narrowed the Angels’ lead to 5-4 in the eighth inning with his single to left, bringing Trea Turner home.
The Phillies had taken an early 3-0 lead in the second inning when Kyle Schwarber smashed a three-run homer to right field against Angels left-hander Tyler Anderson. Schwarber’s 421-foot blast marked his eighth homer of the season.
The Angels scored a run in the bottom of the third inning when Zach Neto, batting ninth, lined a solo homer off Turnbull.
Jose Alvarado secured the win in relief for the Phillies, while Jeff Hoffman notched his second save. Estevez suffered the loss, marking his second blown save in seven opportunities.
Anderson, with a 1.78 ERA, the best among the Angels’ starting pitchers going into the game, pitched six innings, conceding three runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts.
Turnbull pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits, with no walks, a hit batter, and six strikeouts.
The Angels won the series opener 6-5 on Monday, and the series concludes with a matinee on Wednesday.
