Phillies Schwarber, Harper tee off on Mets in rare, historic feat
· Yahoo Sports
PHILADELPHIA – Bryce Harper hit for the cycle for the first time in his Major League career and Kyle Schwarber slugged three home runs, knocking off the rival New York Mets 15-3 Saturday night in front of a FOX national TV audience. Harper and Schwarber’s offensive output was a rare historic feat for teammates, as only Lou Gehrig and Tony Lazzeri of the 1932 Yankees previously combined for a cycle and three home runs in the same game. For the record, Gehrig hit the three round-trippers and shortstop Lazzeri hit for the cycle.
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The Phillies’ offensive onslaught began in the opening frame when Harper launched a solo home run. They added two more on a pair of RBI doubles by J.T. Realmuto and Justin Crawford in the second inning before erupting for eight runs on eight hits in the third inning.
By the fifth inning, Harper had completed the cycle on a two-run triple off Tobias Myers that widened the Phillies’ lead to 13-3. He had doubled off starter Freddy Peralta and singled off Cionel Perez as part of the Phillies’ roaring third inning.
Schwarber hit a home run off three different pitchers – Peralta and Perez in the third and Myers in the eighth – to run his season total to 28. The pair of third-inning bombs each reached the second deck and traveled upwards of a combined 910 feet.
Peralta exited to a standing ovation from the Philadelphia crowd on Saturday night.
He had served up plenty for the home fans to cheer about.
In arguably the worst start of his career, Peralta surrendered 10 earned runs on 10 hits across 2.2 innings as the Mets crumbled in front of 43,402 fans at Citizens Bank Park.
The Mets were held in check by the Phillies’ Cristopher Sanchez, who only gave up one earned run across six innings on a Mark Vientos solo home run in the fourth inning. Carson Benge added a two-run shot – his eighth home run of the year -in the seventh off Max Lazer.
Kyle Schwarber rips third home run off third different pitcher
The Phillies offensive onslaught has found every corner of their lineup.
Bryce Harper completed the cycle in the fifth inning. Kyle Schwarber collected his first three-home run performance of the season with a two-run blast off Tobias Myers in the seventh inning to move the Phillies ahead 15-3.
Schwarber had home runs off Freddy Peralta and Cionel Perez in the same third inning. He has six RBI and four runs in the game.
Bryce Harper hits for the cycle ... in five innings
Trea Turner was looking back with a coaxing arm toward the middle of the diamond. Bryce Harper was not slowing down.
As the ball skipped to the left-center field wall, Harper coasted into third base as Zack Short's relay throw bounced short of home plate. Harper's triple clinched the cycle after he homered in the first inning and added a double and single in the third.
Harper pumped his arms into the sky and then tipped his batting helmet to all corners of Citizens Bank Park at the end of the inning. The two-run triple also swelled the Phillies' advantage to 13-1 over the Mets after five innings.
Mark Vientos breaks through against Cristopher Sanchez
Mark Vientos single-handedly did something that six other teams have failed to do against Cristopher Sanchez this season: score a run.
In the top of the fourth inning, Vientos lifted a changeup from Sanchez over the left-field wall for a solo home run. It was Vientos' ninth home run of the season to tick their deficit down to 11-1.
The Mets have had traffic against Sanchez but the damage has been minimal. They collected three hits between the second and third innings but left four runners stranded in those innings.
Phillies launch past Mets, Freddy Peralta
The third inning on Saturday night might serve as nightmare fuel for Freddy Peralta.
It opened with a towering 456-foot solo home run by Kyle Schwarber and continued with six more hits off the Mets' veteran right-hander, including RBI doubles from Bryson Stott and J.T. Realmuto, as the Phillies poured across seven runs off Peralta in the frame. Cionel Perez came on to face Kyle Schwarber with two runners on base and two outs and served up the second home run of the frame against the Phillies DH to help the Phillies expand their edge to 11-0.
It was one of the worst starts of Peralta's career as he gave up 10 earned runs on 10 hits and one walk in 2⅔ innings.
Freddy Peralta's pitch count balloons with rough second
Freddy Peralta is primed for another abbreviated outing unless he can pick up some quick innings.
The second inning made that a difficult task as Peralta threw 32 pitches in the inning to run his count up to 51. Alec Bohm opened the inning with a line-drive single that seemed to be glove by Eric Wagaman, but it was ruled it was trapped after a review.
J.T. Realmuto cashed in on an RBI double down the left-field line and Justin Crawford grew the Phillies lead to 3-0 with an RBI double off the left-center field wall.
Bryce Harper opens scoring for Phillies
Freddy Peralta has struggled to get deep into outings because he has struggled to find the strike zone.
In the opening inning on Saturday, Peralta's shaky command had another consequence. The Mets right-hander fell behind 2-0 on the first three batters. Bryce Harper made him pay as he wrenched a 2-0 fastball over the right-field wall to put the Phillies ahead 1-0.
Peralta threw 19 pitches in the opening inning despite only facing four batters.
What time is NY Mets vs Phillies game Sunday? Who are starting pitchers?
Time: Phils send Zack Wheeler to the mound vs. the Mets David Peterson at 7:25 p.m.
What channel is NY Mets vs Phillies today?
TV: NBC/Peacock
How to stream NY Mets vs Phillies game today
Streaming: MLB.TV
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Harper, Schwarber historic offensive night equaled only by 1932 Yankees