The beginning of Thursday’s key game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs belonged to Yu Darvish. The Cubs starter was dominant, striking out 10 in seven shutout innings. But Phillies slugger Bryce Harper had other ideas in the final two frames.
The Cubs much-maligned and injury-ravaged bullpen had a 5-0 lead after seven innings, but it was 5-3 with the bases loaded when Harper stepped to the plate with one out in the ninth. It was 7-5 after he launched a majestic grand slam into the night and sprinted around the bases as fast as he could go.
Bryce Harper 🔥🔥
“That was one of the coolest moments I’ve ever had in my life”
“I love those moments. I think it helped a lot from a young age, going through those emotions and having those opportunities at 8, 9, 10 years old in bigtime games”
pic.twitter.com/wLUL1GHy7e— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) August 16, 2019
Setting the situation
The Cubs entered the game tied for the NL Central lead (and the second wild-card lead) with the rival Cardinals. The Cardinals lost to the Reds just before the ending of this one, so holding onto a win would have given the Cubs sole possession of first.
The Phillies entered a couple of games behind those teams for the second wild card. So it was an important game for both teams.
Darvish took control of it. He was dynamite, allowing just four hits and walking none in seven innings. The Cubs provided enough offense to feel comfortable — or at least comfortable with a normal bullpen.
Kyle Ryan gave up a run in the eighth. Rowan Wick escaped the eighth but ran into trouble in the ninth, thanks in part to an error. He left with the score 5-2 and runners on the corners with one out.
In came Pedro Strop, the closest thing to a closer the Cubs have with Craig Kimbrel and Steve Cishek both on the injured list. Strop allowed an RBI single to Roman Quinn and hit Rhys Hoskins with a pitch.
That loaded the bases for Harper.
Well this is turning into a disaster. Strop hits Hoskins to load the bases, just one down with Harper at the plate and the Cubs clinging to a 5-3 lead. Holland coming in to try and get Bryce.
— Sahadev Sharma (@sahadevsharma) August 16, 2019
‘Oh my God’
Cubs manager Joe Maddon called on lefty Derek Holland to face Harper, with the hope of getting him, even if it meant giving up a run on a sacrifice fly.
This was no sacrifice fly.
When Harper launched the ball, the crowd roared, Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward immediately trudged in toward the infield and Phillies TV analyst John Kruk screamed “Oh my God!”
“Before I went to the plate, I touched my heart and I was thinking to myself: Why am I not jittery? Why am I not excited? But that’s just how I am,” Harper said, according to the Associated Press. “… Each at-bat is the same. I don’t think about bases loaded, I try to get a pitch I can drive and hopefully good things happen. I love those moments, I love those opportunities.”
As for Holland, he took responsibility for the loss, saying he didn’t felt like he threw a bad pitch but that Harper got him and got him good.
“I looked at the pitch,” Holland said, according to ESPN.com. “It was a great pitch. You have to give credit to where it’s due. Tip your hat to him.”
We’ll never, ever get tired of watching this Bryce Harper highlight.
It’s just 🔥. pic.twitter.com/NaCfAF3Z5A
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) August 16, 2019
