Toronto's Chris Bassitt shuts down Phillies' offense, ends home winning streak at 11 games
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 08: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on during the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Citizens Bank Park on May 08, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images ((Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images))
PHILADELPHIA - Bryce Harper chucked his bat toward the dugout in anger after a groundout in the eighth inning and the Phillies left the tying run stranded on base in the ninth, enough for the Toronto Blue Jays to hold on for a 5-3 victory Wednesday that ended Philadelphia's home winning streak at 11 games.
Harper, who had homered in the last three games, went to the plate in the eighth with the Phillies down 5-2 with two outs and a runner on second base. He just missed his pitch and grounded a slider to second off Blue Jays reliever Tim Mayza, then flung his bat with such force that it nearly clipped Phillies infield coach Bobby Dickerson.
"He's a perfectionist," manager Rob Thomson said. "He wants to do well, for the team, the city, the organization. He gets frustrated."
Jordan Romano gave up an RBI single to Bryson Stott in the ninth but retired Whit Merrifield on a foul pop with two runners on base for his fifth save.
The Phillies snapped an overall seven-game winning streak and fell shy of the franchise-record 12 straight victories at Citizens Bank Park, which opened in 2004. The Phillies won 16 straight home games in 1977 and 1991 at Veterans Stadium.
"Heck, we were one swing away," slugger Kyle Schwarber said. "I think that's the positive thing. We've been playing some really good baseball. There's going to be times you're going to get beat, straight up."
They were done in by Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt (3-5), who tossed three-hit ball and struck out six over 6 2/3 innings. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had three hits for the Blue Jays.
"They have so many good hitters in the lineup, so yeah, it was just mix things up, not let them hunt specific speeds. Especially on a hot day in Philly," Bassitt said.
The Blue Jays used five hits to score three runs in the sixth inning that sent the Phillies to their lone loss on a six-game homestand. The Phillies had outscored opponents at home 77-26 over the home winning streak that started on April 15.
Bassitt kept the Phillies' offense in check and now has a 1.86 ERA in five career starts against Philadelphia. His only jam came in the third when he walked two batters to open the inning and Johan Rojas singled to load the bases. Schwarber hit a sacrifice fly in right-field foul territory as George Springer made a head-first diving catch.
Bassitt didn't allow another hit until the seventh, when Brandon Marsh singled and Nick Castellanos doubled with one out. That was all for Bassitt. Stott followed with a sacrifice fly off Zach Pop that made it 4-2. Pop struck out Kody Clemens — who homered, tripled and drove in four runs a night earlier — to end the inning.
"Everything was working," Blue Jays manager John Schneider said of Bassitt. "He was throwing everything for strikes, just lost the zone a little bit. He’s the guy you want out there when you’re trying to get out of a tough spot."
After escaping the third-inning jam, Bassitt let the Blue Jays' offense chip away at Aaron Nola (4-2) and reliever Matt Strahm in the sixth.
Toronto's scoring spurt wasn't exciting but instead was efficient, and needed, after allowing double-digit run totals in consecutive losses to Washington and the Phillies. Bo Bichette, Davis Schneider and Kevin Kiermaier had run-scoring hits for a 4-1 lead. The Blue Jays won for just the second time in seven games and remain in last place in the AL East.
Nola struck out seven and gave up four runs over 5 2/3 innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Kiermaier stayed in the game after the center fielder collided with left fielder Daulton Varsho as they chased down Schwarber's flyball in the first.
The sun bothered fielders on both teams early in the game and neither outfielder seemed to have a good read on Schwarber's ball. Varsho plowed into Kiermaier and both hit the ground. Kiermaier made the catch but was down on all fours for a bit and held his rib cage area. He was checked out on the field by trainers.
UP NEXT
The Blue Jays are off Thursday before a three-game home series against Minnesota. The Blue Jays send LHP Yusei Kikuchi (2-2, 2.72 ERA) to the mound against Twins RHP Joe Ryan (1-2, 3.54).
The Phillies also have Thursday off before a three-game series at Miami. The Marlins did not name a starter for Friday while the Phillies send LHP Ranger Suárez (6-0, 1.77 ERA) to the mound.