Trea Turner hit two impressive home runs, leading the Philadelphia Phillies to a 6-4 victory over the struggling Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night, despite a tense ninth inning.
Playing without Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber due to injuries, the Phillies relied on Turner’s power and a strong outing from Michael Mercado (1-0) in his first MLB start.
In the ninth inning, José Ruiz allowed singles to Michael Busch and Cody Bellinger before Seiya Suzuki hit a three-run homer. Jeff Hoffman then struck out Ian Happ and Christopher Morel before retiring Dansby Swanson to secure his seventh save.
The Cubs have now lost seven of their last nine games.
Mercado pitched five innings of two-hit ball to earn his first career win. Garrett Stubbs gave Philadelphia a 2-0 lead with a two-run double in the second inning, setting the stage for Turner’s heroics.
Turner commented on his approach, saying, “It’s about finding that balance of making an impact without overdoing it. I’ve been working on my swing and it’s coming together nicely. I’ve been seeing good pitches and making the most of them.”
In the third inning, Turner hit the first pitch deep into the left-center bleachers. He extended the lead to 5-1 in the fifth inning with another two-run homer against Hayden Wesneski (2-5), marking his 15th game with multiple home runs. The two-time All-Star also added an RBI single in the seventh inning.
Mercado, making only his second MLB appearance, allowed one run, struck out four, and walked two batters.
During the first inning, Mercado walked a batter and gave up a single to Suzuki. In a standout defensive play, right fielder Nick Castellanos made a spectacular catch while crashing into the ivy to deny Bellinger an extra-base hit.
