The Philadelphia Phillies rallied with a pair of ninth-inning homers to beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-5 on Tuesday night to even up their three-game series in Anaheim, Calif.
Nick Castellanos tied the game 5-5 with one out off Angels closer Carlos Estevez, who was tasked with trying to complete a four-out save, by launching a solo shot to right.
After a ground-rule double from Bryson Stott, Johan Rojas took Estevez deep to left for his first homer of the year and a 7-5 lead. The red-hot Phillies have won 12 of their last 15 games.
The Angels, who were playing without injured star center fielder Mike Trout (torn left meniscus), have lost 10 of 12.
Luis Rengifo had given the Angels a 4-3 lead in the sixth when he drove a first-pitch slider from Phillies right-hander Yunior Marte for a three-run homer into the right-center field seats.
The Angels extended the lead three batters later on Mickey Moniak’s RBI single to right.
Alec Bohm cut the Angels’ lead to 5-4 in the eighth when his single to left plated Trea Turner.
Philadelphia jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning when Kyle Schwarber ripped a three-run homer to right against Angels left-hander Tyler Anderson. The 421-foot blast was Schwarber’s eighth homer on the season.
The Angels got a run back in the bottom of the third as No. 9 batter Zach Neto lined a solo homer off Philadelphia starter Spencer Turnbull.
Jose Alvarado (1-1) got the win in relief for the Phillies, and Jeff Hoffman picked up his second save. Estevez (0-1) was tagged with the loss and his second blown save in seven opportunities.
Anderson, whose 1.78 ERA was best among the Angels’ starting pitchers going into the game, went six innings. He gave up three runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts over 92 pitches.
Turnbull worked 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits. He walked none, hit a batter and struck out six in a 98-pitch outing.
The Angels took the opener on Monday 6-5, and the series concludes with a matinee on Wednesday.
–Field Level Media
