PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Trea Turner tied the game with a two-run homer in the ninth inning and Alec Bohm hit the winning single in the 10th to rally the Philadelphia Phillies from five runs down in a 6-5 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday.
Turner delivered his first highlight-reel hit for the Phillies when he connected to left field off reliever Jose Ruiz (1-1) with two outs, tying the game at 5. Turner has been mired in a brutal slump that forced the $300-million shortstop to say this week: “I’ve sucked.”
Phillies fans booed Turner off the field in the seventh inning after a particularly ugly at bat in which he wasn’t even close to connecting on two swings on balls in the dirt. He struck out and was 0 for 4 -- and 2 for 20 on the homestand.
All was forgiven in the ninth.
Bryson Stott hit a two-out single to center off Ruiz that set the stage for Turner to deliver on his biggest blast for his new team. Turner hit a go-ahead grand slam that lifted the United States over Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic semifinals that only raised expectations in Philly. Instead, it’s been two months of anemic swings and stats, like the 0-for-22 skid with runners in scoring position he snapped on Monday.
Ruiz stayed in the game for the 10th and walked two to load the bases with the automatic runner. Bohm lofted one to right that landed on the warning track and scored Dalton Guthrie, helping the Phillies avoid a three-game sweep.
Craig Kimbrel (3-1) worked the 10th for the win.
Evan Longoria hit a two-run homer and Emmanuel Rivera drove in three runs for the Diamondbacks.
The NL champion Phillies have won only three of 10 games as they head into a pivotal stretch of the season. Philadelphia improved to 23-27, and only the Washington Nationals have a worse record in the NL East.
The Phillies start a four-game series Thursday at NL East-leading Atlanta and then play three at Citi Field against the second-place Mets. The Phillies suddenly need to win those series if they want to make a serious run at the division.
Oddly enough, the Phillies have yet to play either the Mets or Braves.
Getting some decent starting pitching would help against their rivals.
Ranger Suárez was hit hard in his third straight start since returning from a strained left elbow. His ERA is a gnarly 9.82 and he has yet to pitch beyond the fifth inning.
TRAINERS ROOM
PHILLIES: Brandon Marsh was back in the starting lineup after missing a game because of right shoulder inflammation.
HOMETOWN HERO?
Arizona starter Zac Gallen gave up two runs in 5 2/3 innings . The New Jersey native — who said he grew up a St. Louis Cardinals fan rather than of the nearby Phillies — was fifth in NL Cy Young Award voting last season.
UP NEXT
The Diamondbacks are off Thursday before opening a 10-game homestand. They did not name a starter for Friday’s opener of a three-game set against LHP Chris Sale (4-2, 5.01 ERA) and the Boston Red Sox.
The Phillies send RHP Aaron Nola (4-3, 4.31 ERA) to the mound Thursday for the start of a four-game series in Atlanta. The Braves did not list a starter.
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