Field Level Media
Jul 3, 2018
Zach Eflin pitched seven strong innings as the host Philadelphia Phillies won their third in a row, defeating the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 Tuesday night in a game that was delayed nearly 90 minutes at the outset because of rain.
Eflin (7-2) won his sixth straight start, becoming the first Phillies pitcher to do so since Cliff Lee in 2011. Eflin allowed two runs on five hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out six. The right-hander continued his strong performance from June, when he went 5-0 with a 1.76 ERA.
The Phillies' bullpen nearly squandered Eflin's strong start.
With one out in the eighth inning, Tommy Hunter allowed a line-drive single to Tim Beckham. After Adam Jones lined out to center field, closer Seranthony Dominguez was brought in to face Manny Machado.
Two wild pitches by Dominguez allowed Beckham to advance to third, with Machado reaching on a walk. After Machado stole second base, Dominguez walked Mark Trumbo to load the bases.
Dominguez got Chris Davis to ground out to third baseman Maikel Franco, a play that was close enough at first that the Orioles asked for a video review. The call was upheld, ending the inning.
Dominguez also ran into some trouble in the ninth. With one out, Jonathan Schoop hit a ball that deflected off Dominguez's glove and toward second baseman Cesar Hernandez. Hernandez tried to make a play at first, but his throwing error allowed Schoop to reach second base. But Dominguez caught Chance Sisco and pinch hitter Jace Peterson looking at called third strikes to earn his eighth save of the season.
The Phillies snapped a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fourth inning on Andrew Knapp's two-out, run-scoring triple off right-hander Alex Cobb (2-10). Knapp hit a walk-off home run Sunday in the 13th inning of a 4-3 victory against Washington.
Cobb allowed all three runs on four hits in 6 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out five.
The Orioles opened the scoring as Trumbo led off the second inning with a first-pitch home run to center field, his 11th of the season.
The Phillies took a 2-1 lead in the third on a two-run double by Rhys Hoskins.
The Orioles tied it at 2-2 in the fourth on a single by Trumbo that scored Machado, who led off the inning with a double.
--Field Level Media