All hail Ranger Suarez. Now at 32-32, the Philadelphia Phillies are finally back to .500 for the first time since May 14th following a 4-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks last night.

Last night, the Phillies beat the Snakes in the desert for the second straight game with a 4-3 victory in extra innings. 

The game shouldn’t have lasted that long. 

Ranger Suarez dominated through seven scoreless innings, striking out seven and walking two. While a large contingent of Phillies fans were celebrating Nick Castellanos announcing the return of ‘Dancing On My Own’, I sat patiently waiting for Rifle Jones (Ranger Suarez) to return to form.

Suarez has been fantastic over his last few starts. He is now 2-1 with a 1.35 ERA in his last four games and is in the MLB Top 5 for lowest era since May 30th (min 13.1 IP). 

Lowest ERAs in Major League Baseball since May 30th (via MLB.com)

1. Blake Snell, 0.47 ERA (one earned run, 19 innings)
2. Jon Gray, 0.56 ERA (one earned runs, 16 innings)
3. José Berrios, 0.99 ERA (three earned runs, 27 1/3 innings)
4. Ranger Suárez, 1.35 ERA (four earned runs, 26 2/3 innings)

Ranger Suarez vs Diamondbacks 

Ranger Suarez Game 1 World Series

If you haven’t gotten the point already. It’s true. I am in love Ranger Suarez aka Rifle Jones. He’s the coolest pitcher in Major League Baseball. 

Surprising Note: The Phillies are 5-2 in Ranger Suarez starts and 9-5 Taijuan Walker starts. The middle of the rotation, even more so when you don’t have a fifth starter, is of the upmost importance right now for the Phillies and they are currently posting a 14-7 record with Suarez or Walker on the bump. Massive would be an understatement. 

After Edmundo Sosa put the Phillies up 1-0 in the top of the second inning on on a fielder’s choice that scored Bryson Stott, JT Realmuto added another fielder’s choice RBI in the top of the third inning to put the Phillies up 2-0. 

Realmuto, who has absolutely dominated the D-Backs over the first three games of the series then hit a home run in the top of the sixth inning to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead. 

JT Realmuto Home Run

The Best Catcher in Baseball has finally returned to form.

ON FIRE: Over the last three games against the Diamondbacks, JT Realmuto is now 7-for-12 with two doubles, two triples, two home runs, and 6 RBI. 

All 3 Strikeouts from Ranger Suarez in the 5th

Suarez left the game with a 3-0 lead after seven strong innings and the Phillies turned the game over to their bullpen with all of their top relievers available to close out the game. 

If it was only that simple...

Seranthony Dominguez hung a meatball-slider over the heart of the plate to cough up a two-out, two-strike, game-tying three-run home run to Christian Walker in the bottom of the eighth inning to allow the Snakes to make it a 3-3 ball game.

Dominguez then let up a single to the ageless Evan Longoria before he was removed from the game in favor of Gregory Soto, who walked the Ketel Marte before getting the Phillies out of the jam on an inning-ending groundout. 

Craig Kimbrel worked his way through the ninth inning after allowing a two-out double to send the game into extra innings.

To start the 10th inning, Trea Turner hit a pop-up to shallow right field. In what should have been a routine fly ball, second baseman Geraldo Perdomo ran into Jake McCarthy, which resulted the baseball to find grass.

Note: The Phillies made a similar boneheaded play in the bottom of the ninth inning but survived.

Diamondbacks Error. Trea Turner to Second.

Turner ended up on second base, and with two runners in scoring position, Nick Castellanos gave the Phillies the lead on a sac fly deep to centerfield. 

The Phillies have now won nine of their last 11 games and are back to .500 at 32-32 for the first time in over a month. Still, the Braves are 8-2 over their last 10 and the Miami Marlins keep winning, going 7-3 over their last 10. The result is the Phillies still being stuck in third place in the National League East standings, 3.5 games behind the second place Fish and eight back of the first place Braves. 

Aaron Nola will take the mound today at 3:40PM as the Phillies look to take three of four from the first place NL West Arizona Diamondbacks before heading to Oakland for three against the Athletics.

Nola needs to deliver today.

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