PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ranger Suárez pitched a seven-hitter, Bryce Harper homered and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Colorado Rockies 5-0 on Tuesday night.
Suárez struck out eight and walked one in the majors' second complete game this season. It was the first shutout for a Philadelphia pitcher since Michael Lorenzen’s no-hitter against Washington on Aug. 9.
“Everything was working well today,” Suárez said through a translator.
Harper hit an RBI double in the sixth inning and a two-run shot in the eighth.
J.T. Realmuto also went deep for Philadelphia (10-8), which moved two games over .500 for the first time this season.
Suárez (3-0) threw 112 pitches, 79 for strikes, in his second career complete game. The left-hander retired Nolan Jones on a comebacker for the final out.
“He was getting quick outs, his stuff was really good, and his command was really good,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “We felt like he was going to get deep unless something crazy happened.”
Realmuto hugged Suárez, and Harper flipped the ball to the pitcher after the final out.
“He was on tonight," Colorado manager Bud Black said. "Really, really good.”
The Rockies dropped to 4-14 after they had a club-record 103 losses last season. They are 2-10 on the road after they had the worst road record in the majors last year at 22-59.
“We got a lot of guys cutting their teeth, just young players,” Black said. “They're seeing (Toronto's José) Berríos, (Philadelphia's Aaron) Nola and tonight Suárez. This is experience first-hand against major league pitching. Our guys will be better from it.”
Colorado has scored the first run just once this season. It has been outscored 25-4 in the first inning.
The trouble continued Tuesday night. Realmuto hit a two-run shot off Austin Gomber (0-1) in the first.
The game was played in a brisk 2 hours, 7 minutes on a beautiful, 72-degree evening.
Gomber was charged with three runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked none.
“Pitched well,” Black said. “He really did. He’s a pitcher we know will compete every day.”
The Rockies blew a chance to get on the board in the sixth. Alan Trejo advanced to third on Ryan McMahon's infield single, but Trejo went too far around the base and got caught in a rundown, ending the inning.
Colorado had more poor baserunning in the seventh when Elehuris Montero was thrown out at second for the final out while trying to stretch a single into a double.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: OF/INF Kris Bryant was not in the lineup for the third straight day after getting injured on Saturday in Toronto when crashed into the outfield wall to make a catch. ... Both 2B Brendan Rodgers and OF Jake Cave were out for a second straight game due to illness.
UP NEXT
RHP Ryan Feltner (1-1, 3.38 ERA) starts for Colorado against LHP Cristopher Sánchez (0-2, 3.52 ERA) in the finale of the three-game series on Wednesday night.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Philadelphia Phillies' J.T. Realmuto, left, comes in to score on his two-run home run as Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Diaz, right, looks on during the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez, right, hugs catcher J.T. Realmuto, left, following the baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. The Phillies won 5-0. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez, right, celebrates the win with catcher J.T. Realmuto, left, following the baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. The Phillies won 5-0. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Elly De La Cruz's 443-foot home run into the bullpen sent a few Padres relievers scrambling out of the way, and Nick Lodolo combined with two relievers on a four-hitter and struck out 11 as the Cincinnati Reds beat San Diego 5-2 on Monday night.
The Reds retired 23 straight batters from the second inning into the ninth and had a combined one-hitter going into the final frame.
Lodolo (3-0) retired his final 18 batters after issuing consecutive walks to open the second inning. Fernando Cruz pitched a perfect eighth and Alex Díaz retired the first two batters of the ninth before Jake Cronenworth doubled and scored on Manny Machado's single. Xander Bogaerts singled before Ha-Seong Kim struck out.
If Cronenworth hadn't gotten the hit, it would have been the first time in Padres history that a leadoff homer was their only hit.
“It felt good. I definitely got synced up there, especially after that second inning,” Lodolo said. “It's pretty good.”
Lodolo was making his fourth start of the season. He missed the last 4 1/2 months of last season with a stress reaction in his left tibia.
“It's just about me getting in rhythm,” he said. “I've done a lot of stuff to put me in a good spot to succeed. I feel confident and overall my work leading into a start now is a lot better than it used to be.”
The Padres have lost a season-high five games, a streak that started Thursday when they blew a 9-4 lead in the eighth inning at Colorado and lost 10-9. They were swept during the weekend by the Philadelphia Phillies, who hit nine home runs.
De La Cruz got this series going with an impressive homer with one out in the first. Knuckleballer Matt Waldron (1-3) struck out Will Benson on three pitches and got ahead of De La Cruz at 0-2. Batting lefty against the righty, the 22-year-old star drove a 91 mph sinker to left-center, where it bounced out of the Padres' bullpen and flew over the Reds' bullpen to a row of seats at the back of the ballpark.
With eight homers and 17 stolen bases in April, De La Cruz became the sixth player since at least 1901 to record seven homers and 15 steals in a calendar month.
The Padres tied it on Jurickson Profar's leadoff homer, his fourth. But the Reds regained the lead in the second on a single, a double, Santiago Espinal's sacrifice fly and Waldron's balk. Benson hit a leadoff double in the third and scored on Spencer Steer's one-out double.
Lodolo walked Xander Bogaerts and Ha-Seong Kim opening the second, but then struck out the side. He then cruised through five perfect innings.
“He was outstanding. Give him a lot of credit. He has such a good feel for how his body works,” said manager David Bell, who added that pitching coach Derek Johnson noticed something early. “Nick was able to make the adjustment on the fly. It says a lot about his level of confidence and understanding in what he needs to do to be successful. After that, it was just great. Great fastball, started with that. Used his changeup, really good curveball. Just a great mix of pitches.”
Waldron allowed six runs and four hits in six innings, struck out four and walked none.
UP NEXT
Reds RHP Nick Martinez (0-1, 5.48 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday night against his former team. The Padres will activate RHP Yu Darvish (0-1, 4.18) from the injured list to make his first start since April 14. He was placed on the injured list with neck tightness on April 17.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
San Diego Padres' Jurickson Profar, left, celebrates with teammate Fernando Tatis Jr. after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Monday, April 29, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
San Diego Padres' Jurickson Profar celebrates after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Monday, April 29, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo works against a San Diego Padres batter during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, April 29, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz, left, celebrates with teammate Spencer Steer after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Monday, April 29, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz, right, celebrates with third base coach J.R. House (56) after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Monday, April 29, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz celebrates after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Monday, April 29, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
