Phillies ace in waiting: Luzardo delivers as Philadelphia routs Mariners 11-2 to sweep
In his first season with Philadelphia, Jesús Luzardo showed why Rob Thomson has faith in him, turning in a masterful performance that powered the Phillies to an 11-2 win over Seattle and completed a sweep of the Mariners.
Luzardo worked six innings, allowing only three hits and one earned run while striking out 12 with no walks. He started hot, recording outs on the first six pitches after a 3-0 count to Randy Arozarena and then freezing Eugenio Suárez for the fourth-inning strikeout that capped a 31-out stretch with eight strikeouts in the first nine outs. By the fourth, he had a dozen punchouts, marking the most by a Phillies starter in a three-game series since 1901 with 31 strikeouts over the stretch.
The offense gave him run support early. Trea Turner extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a first-inning triple, scoring on a Kyle Schwarber sacrifice fly. In the second, Harrison Bader reached on an error and Bryson Stott doubled him home to make it 2-1. Stott then delivered again in the third with an RBI double that gave Philadelphia the lead.
Thomson had praised Max Kepler prior to the game, and the center fielder delivered with a solo shot in the fourth, his 13th homer of the year, pushing the lead to 3-1. Luzardo, who leaned on a high mix of fastballs and sweepers, adjusted in-game to a heavier sweeper-based mix—43% sweepers and 35% fastballs—against Seattle’s righty-heavy lineup, generating 11 whiffs on the pitch.
Seattle cracked the scoreboard in the seventh when Eugenio Suárez hit a solo shot off David Robertson to pull the Mariners within two, 3-2. It was the first run Robertson had allowed in his third stint with Philadelphia. The Phillies then used small-ball to pull away in the seventh: Brandon Marsh walked, Bader was hit by a pitch, and Stott executed a perfect hit-and-run to set up a run-scoring situation. Turner followed with a chopper that couldn’t be fielded cleanly to bring Marsh home, Turner then stole second, and Turner’s multi-hit day continued.
Turner finished with another two hits and a fourth hit of the game, part of a day that saw him climb to a season-high 44 multi-hit games. Schwarber added two more runs with a two-run single in the seventh, and Bryce Harper delivered an RBI knock as Philadelphia plated five runs in the frame to take an 8-2 lead.
An emotional moment followed in the eighth when José Alvarado returned from an 80-game PED suspension and pitched a scoreless inning, striking out Raleigh to close the frame as the crowd gave him a standing ovation. Raleigh, who has 47 homers this season, went 1-for-12 with eight strikeouts in the series.
Turner and the Phillies kept the pressure on in the eighth and ninth, with Turner reaching again and Schwarber delivering a two-run homer—the team’s 20th hit of the day—extending the lead to 11-2.
With the win, Philadelphia improved to 74-53 on the year and recorded its 40th home victory. The club tied a historic note, as 1901 was the last time the Phillies had multiple games with 20+ hits in a two-out-of-three series.
Even with Luzardo’s standout performance, the Phillies remain mindful of the absence of their ace Zack Wheeler, who remains a key leader for the club. Luzardo credited his success to trusting his stuff and attacking hitters, while teammates emphasized the importance of playing for Wheeler and the rest of the rotation.
What’s next: The Phillies open a two-game set with the Washington Nationals on Friday at home. Taijuan Walker (4-6, 3.34 ERA) will start for Philadelphia in what will be his 16th appearance of the season. Walker has logged six-plus innings and two or fewer earned runs in each of his past three starts, including a solid outing against Washington on Aug. 16. The Nats have not announced a starter yet; first pitch is slated for 6:45 p.m. ET.
Comments and context:
– Luzardo’s adjustment to mix and sequencing paid dividends against a tough, swing-heavy lineup. His confidence and willingness to ride his fastball when needed, coupled with a strong sweeper, created whiffs and weak contact that supported a dominant six-inning outing.
– The Phillies’ offense continued to surge, showing depth beyond their top stars and resilience with players stepping up in key moments, including a pivotal seventh inning that broke the game open.
– The return of Alvarado and the continued performance of Stott, Turner, and Schwarber give Philadelphia a positive outlook as they push toward the postseason, even as they navigate the absence of Wheeler.
Summary: The Phillies built on strong starting pitching from Luzardo and balanced offense to dominate the Mariners 11-2, sweeping Seattle while extending their home success and reinforcing their resilience without their ace. They’ll look to keep momentum going against the Nationals with Walker taking the mound on Friday.