Sep 14, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) and center fielder Cal Stevenson (47) celebrate after defeating the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Earlier this week, when Cal Stevenson had the game-winning hit to beat the Tampa Bay Rays, he called it the biggest hit of his career.
Little did he know that that would last in the top spot for only a few days.
Because Stevenson topped it Saturday with a dramatic, two-out, full count double off the right field wall that scored both the tying and winning runs for the Phillies in an epic come-from-behind win over the New York Mets, by a score of 6-4.
And if that wasn't enough, in the top of the eighth, with the Phillies only up a run, Stevenson robbed Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez of a home run, to preserve the lead.
It's been one heck of a week for the Phillies reserve outfielder, one of several guys who spent the majority of the year at Triple-A Lehigh Valley who are providing big plays for the Phillies in September when they need it most.
"Yeah, that one topped it," Stevenson said of his double Saturday, besting the one from Tuesday against Tampa Bay. "That one felt good to come through for the guys, especially late in the game."
The hit came on a 3-2 cutter from Mets reliever Reed Garrett, who has a 99-MPH fastball in his arsenal, but Stevenson said he was looking for the cutter.
"He had thrown it the first pitch to me and I kind of felt jumpy," Stevenson said. "I stepped out and told myself to relax a little bit. He ended up throwing it to me 2-1. I was kind of cheating to a heater, and he got it down and in enough. And then 3-2 I was looking for it again and was able to get the head on it."
Cal Stevenson puts the Phillies ahead in the 7th! pic.twitter.com/6XLEV1eOx6
The catch though was even more impressive.
Jeff Hoffman, who had not pitched in four days and may have been a little rusty, hung a slider to Martinez who lofted one high and deep to centerfield near where the scoreboard ends and the Phillies bullpen begins.
"Off the bat it was hit high enough where I knew I had time to get back to the wall," Stevenson said. "I wasn't sure if it was going to hit the of the cement or not. ... I almost over-jumped to catch it, but I was able to squeeze onto it."
GO-AHEAD HIT
HOME RUN-SAVING CATCH
HAVE A DAY, CAL STEVENSON! pic.twitter.com/Mt36cwzIof
Hoffman was all smiles. As for the manager, Rob Thomson continues to be impressed by Stevenson - so much so that he changed his mind about how to play things in the ninth inning after his catch.
"He's had some good at bats and he can go get it in the outfield," Thomson said. " I was going to defend for him in the ninth with (Johan) Rojas until he made that catch. I turned to Rojas and said, 'I think we're going to let him play.'"
The game didn't start out too great for the Phillies. Kolby Allard, who was recalled from Triple-A to make the start Saturday, was erratic.
He waked three guys in the first inning, including walking in a run. In the third he gave up two hits and later a two run triple to Starling Marte. In between, a throwing error by Kody Clemens allowed another run to score, and suddenly it was 4-0 and the Phillies didn't even have a runner reach base yet.
Thomson decided to try to stem the tide with Walker, which seemed like a gamble at the time considering Walker has been mostly ineffective in every outing this season.
Except this time, he was just the opposite.
Waker threw three scoreless innings, keeping the Mets right where they were and allowing the Phillies to start to claw their way back into the contest.
"For him to come out there and get the job done for us and keep us in it in that situation, that was really good stuff out of him today," Bryce Harper said of Walker's outing.
Walker was effective because he had a boost in velocity on his fastball and that, in turn allowed his splitter to be more effective.
"I thought they were a lot better," Walker said of his pitches. "I thought they were a lot sharper. There was an uptick in the velo and all my stuff, the splitter and everything, I felt it was a lot later and sharper and I just kept them off balance with that."
Walker added that he found something mechanical a few days ago that helped. That and studying video and the result from Saturday made him feel like it was his best performance in a while.
Heck, it was his best outing of the season and one that has to have the Phillies thinking about what to do when this spot in the rotation comes up again to start a four-game series in New York next week.
Asked if Allard would make the next start when this spot comes up in the rotation next Thursday, he wouldn't commit to anyone, saying they have not talked about it yet.
Might be another piggyback outing of some sort - and it might be important because it's wholly possible that it's the game in which the Phillies can clinch their first N.L. East title since 2011.
The offense was struggling against Mets starter Jose Quintana. Of the first 11 batters to come to the plate, only Stevenson had a single - with two outs in the third inning.
So when Harper stepped to the plate with one out in the fourth, there was very little juice in the building.
And then this happened.
Bryce Harper hits his first home run since August 9! pic.twitter.com/jJPPG1jPBj
It was his first homer since Aug. 9. It was his first at Citizens Bank Park since July 27. And it gave the Phillies a pulse.
His next at bat came two innings later, again against Quintana. This time with two outs and a runner on first.
And this one was a no-doubt-about it blast.
Back-to-back at-bats with a homer for Bryce Harper! pic.twitter.com/itI1vl2lsn
It was Harper's 150th home run as a Phillie. It was his 28th multi-homer game of his career.
But more importantly, the ballpark was awoken. The Phillies had new life and Harper had his home run swing back, not that he was looking for it.
"I'd go another 200 at bats without one," Harper said. "I'm having good at bats and we're winning games. I mean, I obviously want to hit homers, but I'll take the doubles. I'll take the singles. Anytime we can win a game, that's what matters most."
Quietly, in his last 21 games, Harper has been the Phillies best and most productive hitter, even if he had no homers until Saturday.
In those 21 games Harper is slashing .385/.449/.628 for an OPS of 1.077. The Phillies are 15-6 in those games.
"(Bench coach) Mike Calitri and I comment on it every day," Thomson said. "He's fouling pitches straight back - like three or four a game. That tells me he's right on the pitch. And he's using the entire field. He's driving the ball to left center and when he does that, he's n the pitch. I feel like his swing's in good shape."
And after this win, so are the Phillies to win the division, with an eight-game lead and just 13 games to go.
