Los Angeles Angels vs Philadelphia Phillies

Cristopher Sánchez turned in one of the finest starts of his season. The left-hander allowed two hits, struck out eight and walked one over seven scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 2.52 and reaching 202 strikeouts on the year. He retired 12 of the final 13 batters he faced.

The Phillies took a 1-0 lead in the second. Alec Bohm singled, Bryson Stott walked and Brandon Marsh lined an RBI single to left off Angels starter Ryan Johnson, who laboured through five innings with five walks and 88 pitches.

Philadelphia had a chance to add to the lead in the eighth. Turner singled, stole second and Bryce Harper walked. But Turner was caught off second and picked off. Harper advanced to second and third on a wild pitch from Angels reliever Trevor Martin, then appeared to steal home — only for the call to be overturned on replay review, ending the inning.

The missed opportunity proved costly. Angels shortstop Zach Neto capped a 12-pitch at-bat with a solo homer to left off Jonathan Bowlan in the bottom of the eighth, tying the game 1-1. It was Neto's 23rd home run and snapped a 30-inning stretch in which the Angels had not recorded an extra-base hit.

The game remained tied until the 10th, when the automatic runner — Brandon Marsh — was thrown out at third on J.T. Realmuto's grounder to short. Justin Crawford singled, and Schwarber blooped an RBI single to left-centre, putting the Phillies ahead 2-1. Crawford took third and Schwarber advanced to second on the throw. Turner then punched a two-run single through the right side of a drawn-in infield, making it 4-1.

The Angels scraped across an unearned run in the bottom of the 10th, but closer Jhoan Duran (2-4) stranded the tying run to secure his second win.

Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) — 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K. His 202nd strikeout of the season came in a dominant outing that lowered his ERA to 2.52. Player of the match without serious debate.

Kyle Schwarber (PHI) — 1-for-5 with the go-ahead RBI single in the 10th. Now has 82 RBIs on the season.

Trea Turner (PHI) — 2-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base and the two-run single that broke the game open in the 10th (51 RBIs).

Zach Neto (LAA) — 1-for-5, but that one was a solo homer — a 12-pitch battle that tied the game in the eighth. His 23rd long ball of the season.

Jhoan Duran (PHI) — 2 IP, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, picking up the win (2-4).

Cristopher Sánchez dominated with 8 strikeouts and just 2 hits allowed across 7 innings, but the Phillies managed only 1 run of support while he was in the game despite drawing 5 walks in the first two innings alone. The Angels' 30-inning extra-base hit drought before Neto's homer illustrates just how bereft the offence has been during the six-game losing streak. Philadelphia's 3-run 10th was its first crooked number since the third inning, an illustration of how effectively both bullpens limited damage — until Martin's command wavered in extras.

The Phillies (77-60) continue to build separation in the NL wild-card chase, now winners of 12 of 14. The Angels (52-85) are buried in the AL West cellar with the league's second-worst record and have lost six straight. Philadelphia sends Zack Wheeler (10-5, 3.40) to the mound against Yusei Kikuchi (0-4, 6.25) in Sunday's series finale.