LOS ANGELES – Not one, not two, but three.
Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies took on the challenge personally, not only winning a series for the first time since early July, but also proving his dominance over National League rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, by hitting three home runs in Philadelphia’s 9-4 win in the deciding game.
This is the second time in Schwarber’s career that he hit three home runs in a game. The other time was on June 20, 2021, when he pitched for the Washington Nationals against the New York Mets.
“I think the most important thing is just being there for the team,” Schwarber said after the game. “You don’t go out there and try to do too much in some spots and then it just goes well. It’s just a weird thing. But you know, I always say the most important thing is just being able to trust the work in the cage. And when I was there, I made adjustments, made tweaks, whatever, and then I just went out there and competed in the game and took what I had.”
Despite the night when he had a career-high seven RBIs, Schwarber doesn’t lose sight of what the win meant for a Phillies team (68-46) that was a shadow of its former self after the All-Star break.
“I mean, I’m sure we’ll remember it, but I think the most important thing is that we win a series there against a really strong opponent and then head into another big series in Arizona. So it’s going to be important to keep the momentum on our side,” Schwarber said.
Schwarber opened the game with a home run. The second was a three-run, 444-footer that came early in the sixth inning. This proved to be a pivotal stretch for the Phillies, who scored five runs in that inning after overcoming a 4-1 deficit to take an 8-4 lead. And to top it off, Schwarber hit another solo home run, this time to center field, early in the ninth inning to cap what Philadelphia manager Rob Thomson called a “special” night.
“This guy can really hit,” Thomson said of Schwarber, who also had a two-run double in the fifth inning. “Like I said before the game, he’s smart. He comes in, he does his job, he does his preparation. It’s a big night.”
“I mean, it seems like there are times when we’re in a little bit of a slump, and he brings new energy to the club with a home run to first or a big home run somewhere. He’s very similar to (Bryce Harper) in that respect.”
With the win, Philadelphia swept the season series against LA (66-49). The July series was a three-game sweep in Philly, and the home team looked dominant with 10-1 and 5-1 wins. That series win was also the last time Philadelphia won a series before Wednesday night. Before that win, they had lost five series in a row.
Dodgers criticize handicap decision
The Dodgers will take away from this game above all a controversial referee decision and a sending off in the decisive sixth inning.
In a sequence in which Alex Bohm was tagged out by Miguel Rojas at third base, third base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt declared Bohm safe because of interference. Rojas awaited an explanation from Wendelstedt before Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was about to make his case.
Wendelstedt warned Roberts to stay back, but Roberts continued to approach him. The heated conversation ultimately earned Roberts a red card, Roberts’ first of the season and the 12th of his career.
Roberts was angry about the decision because the play ultimately led to Schwarber’s three-run home run.
“(Wendelstedt) missed the call. That’s probably the first time I’ve said that,” Roberts said after the game. “It was a blatant miscall. Their job is tough. That changed the game.”
The game could not be reviewed; Roberts would like to see a change by the MLB.
“It needs to be reviewed,” Roberts said. “That play changed the course of the game. He did it wrong. That’s just a fact. Like I said, refereeing is tough, they do a great job (but) tonight that play affected the game.”
Rojas also believes that the referee’s reaction to his attempt at explanation was wrong.
“What was a little more disappointing was that the guy started yelling at me when I tried to get an explanation,” Rojas told reporters after the game.
The call will undoubtedly be a topic of discussion. Without the ability to review that call, something like that in a postseason game could change or potentially decide the course of a series.
Another hot topic: the Dodgers’ stumbling. Their lead in the NL West has shrunk to three games against the stubborn Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres.
