LOS ANGELES – Kyle Schwarber hit three homers and tied his career high with seven RBIs, helping the Philadelphia Phillies rally to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-4 on Wednesday night.
The Dodgers lost two of three in the matchup between the National League’s top two teams, cutting their NL West lead to three games over surging Arizona — their smallest margin since late April.
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“It's good to finally win a series,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “As of late we've been playing really good baseball and played a really good club over there.”
Schwarber's three-run homer capped a five-run sixth during which the NL East-leading Phillies tied and then took the lead. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was ejected by third base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt after an interference call on Miguel Rojas during the Phillies' outburst.
With Philadelphia down 4-3, Alec Bohm doubled to left and Brandon Marsh grounded into a fielder’s choice to third. Third baseman Kiké Hernández handled the bunt to his left side and threw to Miguel Rojas. Bohm slid and was called safe by Wendelstedt, who ruled interference by Rojas.
“He was in front of the bag without the ball, and that’s the new obstruction rule,” crew chief Marvin Hudson told a pool reporter. “Plus he was running in front of him to third. He was in front of third without the ball, so he obstructed the runner. The runner didn’t have a lane to get to the bag.”
Rojas was charged with an error. He became incensed and jawed with Wendelstedt as Roberts came out of the dugout.
Wendelstedt put up his hands indicating that Roberts should stop. He didn’t and Wendelstedt turned his back on Roberts before tossing him. It was Roberts’ 12th career ejection and first this season.
“He went out there to argue the play,” Hudson said. “And once you go down that road to argue the play, then you’re ejected because you can’t argue that play.”
Bohm scored on J.T. Realmuto's RBI groundout to third against Joe Kelly, tying it at 4.
Kelly walked Nick Castellanos and Johan Rojas to load the bases. Marsh scored on Kelly's wild pitch to make it 5-4. Schwarber's 426-foot blast to right-center extended the lead to 8-4.
Schwarber hit his 27th homer leading off the ninth against Michael Grove.
“The biggest thing is just being able to come through for the team,” Schwarber said. “There were a lot of other cool things that were done by guys today.”
The Phillies closed to 4-3 in the fifth on Schwarber’s two-run double into the right field corner that chased Gavin Stone.
Stone gave up a two-strike homer to Schwarber leading off the game.
Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia (2-4) took the loss.
After Gavin Lux's single in the third, the Phillies' staff retired 12 in a row.
Grove hit Nick Castellanos in the eighth and Matt Strahm drilled Lux in the bottom of the inning.
Freddie Freeman drove in three of the Dodgers' four runs, staking them to a 4-1 lead.
Both of Freeman's RBI singles came on first pitches from Phillies starter Tyler Phillips (4-1). Teoscar Hernández doubled, Phillips hit Kevin Kiermaier and Freeman singled up the middle, scoring Hernández to tie the game 1-1. Freeman scored on a single by Miguel Rojas, who was playing his first game since July 21.
In the second, Freeman's two-run RBI single to left extended the lead to 4-1.
The Phillies were 3 for 3 on challenges, getting calls overturned in the first, second and fifth innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: LF Austin Hays left the game in the third with left hamstring tightness.
Dodgers: RHP Brusdar Graterol had an MRI that showed a Grade 1 hamstring strain after leaving eight pitches into Wednesday's appearance. He went on the 15-day IL and the team hopes he'll be able to pitch again this season. ... SS Mookie Betts (hand), 3B Max Muncy (oblique) and newly acquired utilityman Tommy Edman (ankle and wrist) will participate in a simulated game at Dodger Stadium on Thursday. ... RHP Walker Buehler (hip) starts for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday.
UP NEXT
Phillies: LHP Kolby Allard (0-0, 4.50 ERA) starts Thursday at Arizona.
Dodgers: RHP Jack Flaherty (8-5, 2.80) makes his second start since coming to LA at the trade deadline on Friday against Pittsburgh. He pitched six shutout innings in a 10-0 win at Oakland last weekend.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb