Cristopher Sanchez allowed one hit over six scoreless innings and Taijuan Walker struck out seven over the final three frames, fueling the visiting Philadelphia Phillies to a 7-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night.
Sanchez (4-1) fanned five batters and walked three, departing after 85 pitches. Walker struck out the side in both the seventh and eighth innings and fanned Curtis Mead to end the game in the ninth, earning the first save of his career.
Philadelphia’s Trea Turner homered and drove in two runs and Bryce Harper ripped a two-run double as part of his team’s five-run fourth inning.
Bryson Stott added a pair of RBI singles to avenge a 0-for-5 showing in the Phillies’ 8-4 victory in the series opener Tuesday. He joined Kyle Schwarber and Turner with two hits apiece for Philadelphia, which has scored 31 runs in its last four games and has won eight of its last 10 games.
The Phillies’ 11-hit attack was more than enough for Sanchez, who allowed a Junior Caminero single with two outs in the first inning before holding Tampa Bay hitless the rest of his outing.
J.T. Realmuto fouled a pitch off his left foot in the top of the seventh inning. He finished his at-bat before being replaced behind the plate by Rafael Marchan.
The Rays have lost six of their last eight games overall and six in a row at home.
Turner deposited a 2-1 slider from Shane Baz (3-2) over the wall in left-center field to open the scoring in the third inning. It was his second homer of the season.
The Phillies chased Baz after extending their advantage to 6-0 in the fourth inning.
Realmuto scored on a bunt from Johan Rojas, then Stott and Turner followed with RBI singles before the latter two came home on Harper’s double to left-center field.
Rojas singled to lead off the sixth inning and promptly stole second base before coming around to score on Stott’s single to left field.
Baz permitted six runs on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings in losing his second straight start. He yielded seven runs on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings of an 8-2 setback vs. the Kansas City Royals last Thursday.
