Jesús Luzardo pitched his first career shutout. The Phillies expect more in October

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jesús Luzardo never pitched into the ninth inning over his first 149 career starts and had to block out the exhilaration he felt on the mound when he finally got that chance.

The Phillies' All-Star left-hander walked to the mound to a roaring ovation and with his warmup music — usually played in the first inning — cranked inside the ballpark as he tried to treat the final inning like any other.

“Just think about the pitch in front of you,” Luzardo said.

Luzardo was economical and efficient in the ninth with his pitches against the Atlanta Braves and looked to the sky in appreciation as he got the final out in Philadelphia's 1-0 win on Monday in 1 hour, 51 minutes, the fastest game in baseball this season.

He struck out 12 and tossed two-hit ball with only one walk for his first career complete game.

“Everyone dreams about being a guy your team relies on,” Luzardo said. “Just going out there when, I don't want to call it a must-win, but a big win, it feels good.”

The Phillies split a four-game series with the NL East-leading Braves and cut the division lead to four games in front of a holiday crowd of 41,820. They play three more next weekend in Atlanta.

Phillies manager Don Mattingly said there was no doubt Luzardo was going back out for the ninth.

“I knew Donnie probably wouldn't let me go too much more,” Luzardo said. “Thankful for Donnie for giving me a chance to go back out there in the ninth.”

Luzardo at least had some run support when he took the mound to a standing ovation as the familiar Meek Mill tune “Dreams and Nightmares” played to a packed Citizens Bank Park.

Kyle Schwarber got Luzardo the win when he socked his MLB-leading 43rd homer into the second deck against reliever Didier Fuentes.

Schwarber hit his 11th career go-ahead home run in the eighth inning or later. It was only the Phillies' fourth hit of the game.

The Phillies had left the bases loaded in the first inning against Braves starter Grant Holmes.

“We expect to win a baseball game when we walk out of these doors,” Schwarber said.

The NL pitcher of the month for August, Luzardo (14-5) didn’t walk a batter until the ninth inning and retired the final two batters to complete the 109-pitch gem. He threw 78 strikes.

It was the franchise’s fastest nine-inning game since July 4, 1989, vs. Cincinnati.

Luzardo's sweeper kept the Braves off balance all game — he had 12 total swings-and-misses on his go-to pitch and five strikeouts on his fastball — and he gave the Phillies bullpen a needed day off after a rough late-game collapse a day earlier.

“I felt really good going back out in the ninth,” Luzardo said. “It could have been adrenaline or emotions or whatever it could have been.”

In his last 21 starts since May 14, Luzardo has posted a 1.93 ERA over 135 innings, striking out 164 batters while surrendering only 39 walks. The Phillies are 18-3 in those games.

Luzardo won only eight total games over 30 starts when he played for Mattingly with the Miami Marlins in 2021 and 2022. He contended with various injuries over the early part of his career, and the Marlins traded him to the Phillies for two prospects in December 2024.

Mattingly had a hunch there was much more talent lurking inside Luzardo than what he flashed in parts of six seasons with Oakland and the Marlins.

“Stuff-wise, he looked the same,” Mattingly said. “He always looked like this. It was just not enough strikes.”

Luzardo powered his way through the zone against a loaded lineup and settled the nerves of Phillies fans frothing for some sort of vengeance against the Braves.

Mattingly brushed off the suggestion that old-school retaliation should be on the table against Braves slugger Ronald Acuña Jr., who flapped his arms and stutter-stepped around third base after he hit a tying three-run homer in Sunday’s 5-4 win and gave himself a curtain call to the irritation of Phillies fans.

The days of a fastball to the ribs to send a message has about gone the way of the neighborhood play.

“That's just not part of the game now,” Mattingly said. “I think it's about making pitches. Getting the ball to the right spots.”

Luzardo simply made Acuña uncomfortable at the plate, much to the delight of the fans who reveled in booing the Phillies' foil.

Acuña was retired on one pitch in each of his first two at-bats and was 0 for 3 before he walked in the ninth.

No matter.

Luzardo struck out Drake Baldwin and got Ozzie Albies to fly out on the first pitch to end the game.

Phillies left fielder Brandon Marsh gleefully tossed Luzardo the game ball and the winning pitcher said he would gift it to his parents.

Milwaukee ace Jacob Misiorowski has posited himself as the NL Cy Young Award front-runner, yet much like the Phillies and Braves, Luzardo is lurking, in the hunt and determined to finish in first.

“He keeps finding a way to get better and better,” Schwarber said, “which is awesome.”

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo reacts after striking out Atlanta Braves' Austin Riley during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo walks off the mound after striking out Atlanta Braves' Austin Riley during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo is doused by teammates in the dugout after a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo smiles as he is interviewed after a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo throws during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

BALTIMORE (AP) — South Africa finally spread its wings in the rugby test series with New Zealand and coach Rassie Erasmus wants his side to fly high in the finale.

The Springboks, from 1-0 down, seek to win the series 3-1 on Saturday at the NFL home of the Baltimore Ravens while the All Blacks are hoping to square the first traditional series between them in 30 years.

South Africa scored one try in the first test (lost), three tries in the second test (won) and four in the third test (won) last Saturday in Johannesburg where they were at their most expansive yet.

Their traditional set-piece strength was decisive — a penalty try from a pushover scrum and a lineout maul that marched New Zealand back to its posts — but the forwards' fearsome power was complemented by two well-taken backline tries.

“Damian (de Allende) was good on Saturday, Jesse (Kriel) was very good, Ethan (Hooker) did well, so I think the guys are getting better,” Erasmus said on Monday at the team announcement.

He praised the changes in their evolving attack coached by former All Black Tony Brown.

“Tony has worked really hard since the loss in the first test,” Erasmus said. “We don't just want to score maul tries or scrum tries, we also want to use other opportunities so we've been working hard at that.”

Erasmus believed they might have put too much focus in the first test on stopping New Zealand and not taking more risks in a game they controlled for the first hour at Ellis Park.

“At the end of the day you just need to outscore your opposition,” Erasmus said. "If it means they score four tries and you kick five drop goals like Jannie de Beer at the 1999 World Cup against England, you just need to score more points than them.

“To try and contain them is extremely difficult — just ask our franchises and France.”

Erasmus made only two changes to the side which beat New Zealand 29-24 last Saturday for the fourth test.

Damian Willemse returned to fullback for the injured Cheslin Kolbe, and scrumhalf Morné van den Berg was given his first start in the series, dropping Cobus Reinach to the reserves.

The forward pack remained the same.

“We feel that the team is well settled and all the players delivered in their respective roles in the last two matches, so we believe selecting the same matchday squad, and naming Damian back in his regular position, makes sense,” Erasmus said.

Kolbe broke his jaw making a tackle. He covered for Willemse, who suffered a hamstring problem in the second test.

“It's good to have (Willemse) back,” Erasmus said. “He knows the guys around him very well, so it will simply be a matter of him picking up where he left off before last week.”

As for the No. 9 jersey, Erasmus rewarded Van den Berg for “a fantasic impact” off the bench.

“He deserves a chance to start,” the coach added.

Kolbe's injury and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu's yellow card drew Manie Libbok in at flyhalf from the 10th minute, and he excelled. But Erasmus wasn't persuaded to retain Libbok at flyhalf and Feinberg-Nngomezulu at fullback in Baltimore.

"Manie definitely did really well for us,” the coach said. "There are some areas where Sacha's not 100% hit his straps for us yet. But we must remember he was out for a very long time (after ankle surgery in May) and it's only his fourth game back.

“Manie, we feel he can come on after five minutes if Sacha gets injured, and we know he can handle the pressure, but we might need him later in the game like we did last weekend.”

Erasmus said he could have played flyhalf Handre Pollard, who was withdrawn from the second test because of a calf injury. But he added Pollard and lock Franco Mostert, who has been sidelined since June, were on track to face Australia on Sept. 26 in Perth.

New Zealand names its side on Thursday and changes are guaranteed after series-ending injuries to captain and No. 8 Ardie Savea (shoulder), flanker Luke Jacobson (elbow) and center Quinn Tupaea (knee).

South Africa: Damian Willemse, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Ethan Hooker, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Morné van den Berg; Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (captain), Ruan Nortjé, Eben Etzebeth, Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx, Ox Nché. Reserves: Deon Fourie, Gerhard Steenekamp, Thomas du Toit, Lood de Jager, André Esterhuizen, Cameron Hanekom, Cobus Reinach, Manie Libbok.

See AP’s full rugby coverage here

South Africa's Damian Willemse, center, is being tackled by New Zealand's Luke Jacobson, right, and his teammate George Bower during a second Test rugby match between South Africa and New Zealand, in Cape Town, South Africa, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Halden Krog)