J.T. Realmuto belted a three-run home run and Ranger Suarez pitched six strong innings as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the host Washington Nationals 5-2 on Saturday.
Jeff Hoffman, Gregory Soto and Jose Alvarado completed the four-hitter out of the Phillies’ bullpen.
Joey Gallo hit a two-run homer for the Nationals, who were blanked a night earlier in the series opener. Lane Thomas had two of Washington’s hits with a pair of singles, but the team dropped its third consecutive game.
Philadelphia’s Trea Turner also had two hits, including a double, against his former team. Realmuto also had two hits for the Phillies, who have won back-to-back games for the first time this season.
Washington starter Jake Irvin (0-1) allowed four runs on five hits across six innings. He struck out five and walked one.
Neither team threatened often. Both teams stranded five runners on base.
Suarez (1-0) went only five innings in his season debut, so he took this one a bit deeper. He never encountered much trouble against a Washington lineup that hasn’t produced much offense in its first eight games. He allowed four hits and no walks while fanning four.
Suarez won only four games in 22 starts last season, so this is an encouraging result in early April.
Realmuto’s second home run of the season came in the third inning on the first batter following an intentional walk to Bryce Harper, boosting the Phillies’ edge to 4-0.
Realmuto also scored the game’s first run, reaching on a second-inning single and racing home on Alec Bohm’s triple.
Gallo’s second homer of the season came with two outs in the bottom of the third. He’s in his first season with the Nationals.
Brandon Marsh’s one-out, ninth-inning single drove in an insurance run off Washington reliever Dylan Floro.
–Field Level Media
