Edmundo Sosa hit a pinch-hit grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning as the Philadelphia Phillies rallied for a 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.
The Angels carried a 3-1 lead into the ninth and appeared close to ending their losing streak after Wade Meckler made a spectacular home run-saving catch. Philadelphia kept the inning alive, however, and Sosa delivered his first career grand slam to hand Los Angeles its fifth consecutive loss.
The Phillies improved to 2-2 on their nine-game West Coast trip. They also moved within one game of the Chicago Cubs for the top National League wild-card position.
Sosa Turns Game Around in Ninth
Los Angeles entered the ninth with a two-run advantage and Ben Joyce on the mound.
Alec Bohm and Justin Crawford reached base without recording hits, giving Philadelphia an opportunity to rally.
Bryson Stott then drove a ball toward the short porch in right field that appeared headed for a three-run homer. Meckler raced to the wall, reached into the stands and made a difficult catch while colliding with the barrier.
The play kept the Angels ahead and gave Joyce the second out.
Philadelphia refused to go quietly.
J.T. Realmuto worked a walk to load the bases, prompting the Angels to replace Joyce with Sammy Peralta. Sosa came off the bench and faced Peralta with the game on the line.
Sosa drove a low changeup 404 feet to center field for a grand slam, turning a 3-1 deficit into a 5-3 Philadelphia lead.
It marked Sosa’s first career grand slam. He also became the first Phillies player since Shane Victorino in 2009 to hit a go-ahead grand slam with two outs in the ninth.
Joyce took the loss and fell to 0-2.
Angels Score Three in First
Los Angeles had built its lead almost entirely in the opening inning against Andrew Painter.
Meckler made an immediate impact in his return from the concussion-injured list. He drove in a run on the first pitch he saw as the Angels scored three times in the first.
Painter also threw two wild pitches during the 28-pitch inning, allowing Mike Trout and Meckler to score.
The early rally gave Reid Detmers a 3-0 cushion.
However, the Angels managed little offense after the first. They finished the game with only three singles, with just one coming after the opening inning.
That lack of additional scoring eventually left the bullpen with little room for error.
Painter Recovers From Rough Start
Painter responded impressively after his difficult first inning.
The Philadelphia right-hander faced the minimum 15 hitters over his next five innings and did not allow a hit during that stretch.
His recovery prevented the Angels from extending their lead and kept Philadelphia within range for a late comeback.
Los Angeles had opportunities to create separation after taking the early advantage, but Painter quickly settled into a rhythm and shut down the lineup.
The Phillies’ pitching staff then kept the Angels scoreless over the remainder of the night.
Detmers Delivers Six Strong Innings
Detmers gave Los Angeles another quality performance from the rotation.
The left-hander allowed one run on eight hits across six innings. Despite frequent traffic on the bases, he repeatedly limited the damage and preserved the Angels’ advantage.
Bryce Harper was among the Phillies who reached against Detmers. Harper recorded a bunt single in the fourth inning to extend his career-best on-base streak to 30 games.
Philadelphia accumulated hits against Detmers but struggled to convert them into runs. The Angels starter consistently escaped trouble and departed with his team still ahead.
His effort ultimately resulted in a no-decision after Philadelphia’s ninth-inning comeback.
Phillies Protect Late Lead
Alex McFarlane worked the eighth inning for Philadelphia and earned the win, improving to 4-1.
After Sosa’s grand slam put the Phillies ahead, Philadelphia turned to Jonathan Bowlan rather than closer Jhoan Duran for the bottom of the ninth.
The Angels managed to put two runners on base and bring the potential winning run to the plate.
Bowlan avoided another late twist by striking out Adam Frazier to end the game. He earned his second save of the season.
Another Difficult Bullpen Loss for Angels
The result added another frustrating defeat to a difficult stretch for Los Angeles.
The Angels received six effective innings from Detmers, scored three early runs, and watched Meckler make a potentially game-saving defensive play in the ninth.
None of it was enough.
Joyce struggled to finish the game, and Realmuto’s two-out walk forced Los Angeles to make a pitching change with the bases loaded. Sosa then capitalized immediately against Peralta.
The loss extended the Angels’ skid to five games and continued their problems protecting late leads.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, strengthened its position in the NL wild-card race with a comeback that required only one decisive swing.
Up Next
The series continues Saturday in Anaheim.
Philadelphia will start All-Star left-hander Cristopher Sánchez, who enters with a 16-4 record and a 2.62 ERA.
The Angels will counter with right-hander Ryan Johnson, who is 3-7 with a 5.75 ERA.
