Page 15 - aruba-today-20221024

A15
sports Monday 24 october 2022
Harper’s HR powers Phillies past Padres, into World Series

By DAN GELSTON to play in Philadelphia de- The Phillies mobbed each
AP Sports Writer livered — in this season, in other in the infield as the
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — this game. Phillie Phanatic and swayed
Bryce Harper slugged his “I think we always be- the “NL Champions” flag
fifth homer of the postsea- lieved,” Harper said. as the official postseason
son, a two-run blast in the Houston held a 3-0 lead anthem “Dancing On My
eighth inning that turned over the New York Yankees Own” blared throughout
Citizens Bank Park into a in the ALCS. Game 4 is Sun- the stadium.
madhouse, and the $330 day night in New York. The Philly, get ready.
million slugger powered World Series will begin Fri- Harper, Hoskins & Crew are
the Philadelphia Phillies day night at the home of coming for a most improb-
past the San Diego Padres the AL champion. able World Series champi-
4-3 on Sunday and into the Even after Harper’s homer onship.
World Series for the first the put them ahead, it wasn’t Harper, who turned 30 last
time since 2009. an easy ending for the Phil- week, is batting 439 (18 for
Rhys Hoskins also hit a two- lies. 41) with six doubles, five Philadelphia Phillies’ Bryce Harper hits a two-run home run during
run homer in Game 5 of Reliever David Robertson homers, 11 RBIs and 10 runs the eighth inning in Game 5 of the baseball NL Championship
the NL Championship Se- was pulled after a pair of scored over 11 postsea- Series between the San Diego Padres and the Philadelphia
ries to spark Philadelphia’s one-out walks in the ninth. son games. He has hit in 10 Phillies on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in Philadelphia.
Associated Press
improbable run to the pen- Ranger Suárez made his first straight and has reached
nant and a shot at its first relief appearance of the base in 11 straight. cause of who he is and the Philadelphia finished third
World Series championship season and retired Trent And the feared designat- star that he is,” Phillies man- in the NL East at 87-75, a
since 2008. Grisham on a bunt and got ed hitter can keep those ager Rob Thomson said be- full 14 games behind the
Harper has made the mon- Austin Nola — brother of streaks alive when he plays fore the game. “He’s a guy 101-win Braves this season,
umental feat of hitting a Phils ace Aaron Nola — on in his first World Series. that’s a big star that’s de- and were the last club in
baseball look so easy in the a routine fly to finish it for a “To a certain degree, it’s livered. Can’t say enough the majors to make the 12-
postseason and he deliv- huge save. getting overlooked be- about that.” team playoff field. q
ered with easily the defin-
ing moment in his four-year
Phillies’ career.
J.T. Realmuto began the
Phillies eighth with a single
off reliever Robert Suarez
and Harper lined a 2-2, 98
mph sinker the opposite
way, into the left field seats
as another sellout crowd of
45,485 fans shook the sta-
dium.
“I knew he was going to
come with his heater,” the
two-time NL MVP said dur-
ing a TV interview. “Just
tried to take the best swing
I could and was able to do
damage with it.”
The lefty-swinging Harper
connected off a righty
— the Padres had left-
handed closer Josh Hader
warming in the bullpen,
but didn’t bring him in.
“We call him ‘The Show-
man.’ He’s always had a
knack for those moments,”
Hoskins said of Harper.
Harper’s hitting earned him
the NLCS MVP award. And
maybe other highlights on
deck in the next couple of
weeks.
“We’ve got four more,”
Harper said, and the crowd
roared.
Remember, too: When
Harper’s thumb was bro-
ken by a pitch from San
Diego’s Blake Snell in late
June, there were some
concerns that he might not
return this season.
Instead, the star who
signed a 13-year contract