Phils overcome deficit, injury to Walker, beat Mariners 6-5

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nick Castellanos had three hits and three RBIs, Alec Bohm hit a go-ahead single in the eighth inning and the Philadelphia Phillies overcame an injury to Taijuan Walker to beat the Seattle Mariners 6-5 on Wednesday night.

Philadelphia Phillies 6, Seattle Mariners 5: Box Score

J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber also drove in runs for the Phillies, who rebounded from a 5-2 second-inning deficit on a drizzly night. The defending National League champions, who lost their first four games, improved to 12-13 and with a win in Thursday’s series finale can reach .500 for the first time this season.

“We really don’t like losing,” Castellanos said. “We’re really plugged in until the last out is made.”

WE UP pic.twitter.com/Y4Uyq13nUO

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) April 27, 2023

J.P. Crawford hit a grand slam, doubled and singled for Seattle, and Julio Rodríguez also went deep.

Rye bread. Mustard. pic.twitter.com/Z3IStaEbUS

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 26, 2023

“We didn’t get anything going against their bullpen,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said.

Walker was removed after four innings and 68 pitches because of right forearm tightness. The 30-year-old right-hander, who spent his first four big league seasons with the Mariners from 2013-16, allowed five runs — all in the second — five hits and two walks. He signed a $72 million, four-year deal with the Phillies as a free agent.

Walker said he felt elbow tightness in the second inning but the elbow calmed down a bit after the frame. He left as a precautionary measure and will follow up with a doctor on Thursday. The right-hander indicated his elbow still was sore after the game.

“Probably could’ve kept going,” Walker said. “We didn’t want to push it.”

Schwarber’s RBI single in the third cut the deficit to 5-3, Castellanos hit a run-scoring single in the fourth and Realmuto singled in the tying run in the eighth against Justin Topa (0-2), who allowed hits to his first four batters. Realmuto had a hard-hit ball just under the glove of second baseman Kolten Wong, and Bohm followed by grounding a single into left.

“Passing the baton, we did a good job of it tonight,” Castellanos said.

Craig Kimbrel (1-0) struck out two in a perfect eighth for his first Phillies win. José Alvarado worked around Crawford’s two-out double in the ninth, striking out Rodriguez on a full-count cutter for his fourth save.

Crawford, selected 16th overall by the Phillies in the 2013 amateur draft, hit his second career slam on a 92 mph fastball he drove into the Philadelphia bullpen in center.

He celebrated in the dugout by donning a golden helmet and holding a large trident that has become customary for Mariners home-run hitters. It was just the 28th home run in 547 career games for the sure-handed shortstop, sent to Seattle by the Phillies after the 2018 season in the trade that brought Philadelphia Jean Segura.

“Can’t say enough about the game he played,” Servais said.

Rodríguez homered five pitches later.

BACK-TO-BACK 🤩 pic.twitter.com/Q2EhCg67rL

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 26, 2023

Following a 20-minute rain delay at the start, Castellanos hit a two-run, opposite-field homer to right-center in the first off Logan Gilbert, whose start was pushed back due to discomfort in his pitching shoulder. An athletic trainer visited Gilbert on the mound in the third when Edmundo Sosa’s liner caromed off the pitcher’s lower left shin.

Gilbert said his shin was sore but OK and his shoulder felt good. Gilbert also exhaled in the fifth when he ended the inning by snaring Brandon Marsh’s sharp liner to the mound.

Gilbert gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings.

POWER BAT

Castellanos has three homers and 16 RBIs in 25 games after hitting 13 homers with 62 RBIs last season as he started a $100 million, five-year deal.

“I’m just comfortable in my environment,” Castellanos said.

POWER ARMS

Gilbert has 34 strikeouts and five walks through 27 2/3 innings. Alvarado has 22 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings of relief and has allowed just one run.

STILL STREAKING

Seattle’s Eugenio Suárez extended his on-base streak to a career-high 21 games with a third-inning single. Marsh also made it 21 straight games reaching base with an eighth-inning single.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: LHP Robbie Ray will have surgery to repair the flexor tendon in his pitching elbow and will miss the rest of the season. Ray, in the second season of a $115 million, five-year contract, was injured in his season debut against Cleveland on March 31.

Phillies: OF Bryce Harper (Tommy John surgery right elbow) took batting practice and ran the bases before the game and could return as a DH next month.

UP NEXT

Mariners RHP George Kirby (2-1, 3.57) opposes Phillies LHP Matt Strahm (1-2, 3.00) in the conclusion of the three-game set Thursday.

Seattle Mariners LHP Robbie Ray to miss rest of 2023 season