Kyle Schwarber’s late homer helps Phillies to win Luzardo vs. Ranger duel

May 14, 2026May 14, 2026

Tim Kelly

By giving the Jesús Luzardo a five-year/$135 million contract extension this spring, you could argue that the Phillies effectively chose him over Ranger Suárez, who they allowed to leave for a five-year/$130 million contract with the Boston Red Sox this past offseason.

Wednesday, Luzardo and Suárez — teammates for a season — squared off at Fenway Park, with neither allowing a run in a game the Phillies ultimately won 3-1.

Suárez was excellent, striking out eight and limiting the Phillies to just four hits over 5 1/3 innings. Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy did pull him after only 76 pitches, although that wasn’t surprising considering it was his first start since he left his May 3 start after just four innings with right hamstring tightness. In his first season with the Red Sox, Suárez has an impressive 2.44 ERA across his first eight starts.

Meanwhile, Luzardo was similarly excellent, limiting the Red Sox to four hits over six shutout innings. He only struck out four batters, but was nonetheless successful. He’s had a strange season, because about half of his starts have been excellent. The other half have been, well, not. Hence his 5.07 ERA. But Luzardo’s highs are so impressive that it’s hard not to feel good when he takes the mound.

The decisive blow in the contest came in the top of the eighth inning, when Kyle Schwarber — a day after his streak of five consecutive games with a homer was snapped — launched a two-run shot that traveled 417 feet off of Tyler Samaniego:

Kyle Schwarber has started a new HR streak. 💣 pic.twitter.com/G44cIFPrDd

— OnPattison (@OnPattison) May 15, 2026

It continues what’s been a remarkable month, season and tenure for Schwarber, who leads MLB with 18 home runs. For what it’s worth, Schwarber hit his 18th home run a year ago on May 24, and wound up leading the NL with 56 blasts. He’s got 18 home runs on May 14 this season.

Before the inning was out, Bryson Stott added an insurance run by beating out an infield single that scored Alec Bohm, giving the Phillies a 3-0 lead.

Boston did get a run back against José Alvarado in the bottom of the eighth inning on a Wilyer Abreu RBI single, but Jhoan Duran closed out the series-clinching victory in the ninth.

With the win, the Phillies improve to 21-23. They are 12-4 since Don Mattingly took over as interim manager.

The Phillies will open a three-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates Friday at PNC Park, with Aaron Nola (2-3, 5.14 ERA and 4.25 FIP in eight starts) set to square off with Braxton Ashcraft (2-2, 2.77 ERA and 3.00 FIP in eight starts).