By Jenny Masters
If the Phillies fail to make the playoffs this year for the 11th straight season, they will look back on these two losses to the woeful Yankees as one of the big reasons.
They came into the Bronx just two back of the Mets in NL East.
And they leave to come home tonight against the Braves 3 1/2 games out.
Pinch-hitter Ryan LaMarre singled home the winning run in the 10th inning and the New York Yankees recovered to beat the Phillies 6-5 after blowing a late three-run lead.
Gleyber Torres homered and Rougned Odor had a two-run shot for the short-handed Yankees, who have won four straight and nine of 12 heading into a four-game series at AL East-leading Boston.
Gary Sánchez, the automatic runner at second base, was sacrificed to third in the 10th and LaMarre batted for Brett Gardner. The Phillies deployed a five-man infield and LaMarre sent a drive off Ranger Suárez (4-2) to the warning track in right field to win it.
The outfielder, just brought back from the minors Sunday, was swarmed by excited teammates on the field — and the buttons of his jersey were ripped open in the celebration.
“That was awesome,” designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton said. “All he needed was one swing and he did a good job of making sure he stayed inside the ball.”
LaMarre’s clutch hit came in his 11th at-bat with the Yankees. It was his second career game-ending hit and New York’s first game-ending pinch hit since Mike Ford homered to beat Oakland on Sept. 1, 2019.
“When I saw they brought the infielder in, I was just looking for something out over the plate,” LaMarre said.
Brooks Kriske (1-0) pitched a scoreless 10th after the Yankees stranded runners at second and third in the ninth.
The Phillies overcame a 5-2 deficit in the eighth against Zack Britton and Nick Nelson. Torres made an error at shortstop, and the Phillies drew four walks.
A base hit by Luke Williams off Nelson got the Phillies to 5-4. Philadelphia tied it when Ronald Torreyes scored on a wild pitch, but after walking Bryce Harper to load the bases again, Nelson retired Andrew McCutchen on a flyout to keep the score even.
Before squandering another late lead, the Yankees took a 5-2 lead in the seventh against struggling Hector Neris on Stanton’s single and Odor’s home run.
Jean Segura hit a leadoff homer and Harper had an RBI double, but the Phillies were 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position and lost consecutive games for the first time since dropping four straight June 20-25. Philadelphia drew a season-high 11 walks.
“We didn’t swing it great tonight,” manager Joe Girardi said.
Torres homered and Greg Allen hit an RBI double in the fourth for New York.
Asher Wojciechowski became the 10th starting pitcher for the Yankees this season and allowed two runs on three hits in four innings. He struck out four, walked three and held the Phillies hitless in six at-bats with runners in scoring position.
Spencer Howard permitted one hit in three scoreless innings for Philadelphia after being called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley earlier in the day.
