The Philadelphia Phillies demonstrated their dominance in the MLB London Series opener, defeating the New York Mets 7-2. Bryce Harper, the Phillies’ standout player, tied the game with a home run and celebrated in grand fashion with a soccer-style slide, delighting the London crowd and paying homage to the local sporting culture. Harper’s performance was pivotal, as he finished just a triple shy of hitting for the cycle and maintained the Phillies’ perfect record of 22-0 when he records an RBI.Ranger Suárez, returning from a hand injury, pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on eight hits, and struck out six batters. His win marked him as the season’s first 10-game winner and a strong contender for the Cy Young Award. The Phillies’ six-run rally in the fourth inning, highlighted by Whit Merrifield’s three-run homer, was their highest-scoring inning of the season, solidifying their position with the best win percentage in the majors at.703.With their seventh win in the last eight games, the Phillies continue to hold the best record in baseball at 44-19 and lead the National League East by nine games. Manager Rob Thomson celebrated his 200th regular-season win as the team looks forward to the potential of winning their second-straight National League Championship Series and their first World Series title since 2008. The Phillies will seek to sweep the series in their next game against the Mets, with Taijuan Walker and Jose Quintana as the starting pitchers.
Key points
- Bryce Harper’s home run and soccer-style celebration were highlights of the Phillies’ 7-2 victory over the Mets in the MLB London Series.
- Ranger Suárez earned his 10th win of the season, becoming the first pitcher to reach double-digit victories this season.
- The Phillies maintain the best record in baseball and lead the National League East by nine games.
