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Jesus Luzardo Dazzles in Much-Needed Gem on Sunday Night Baseball
By Luke Arcaini
Published:
The Phillies needed a gem from Jesus Luzardo on Sunday night, and they got one.
If you told anyone on Friday afternoon that all three games of this key summer series would’ve been blowouts, they would have been shocked. The Phillies beat up on the Mets on Friday night, the Mets clobbered the Phillies on Saturday night, and Sunday was set up to be a pitcher’s duel between Jesus Luzardo and David Peterson.
It’s been a weird last five starts for Luzardo. He allowed a combined 20 earned runs in two starts against the Brewers and Blue Jays earlier in the month, then followed it up with a great start against the Chicago Cubs, the best offense in baseball. Then he was iffy against his former Marlins team earlier in the week.
Sunday night was the Jesus that Phillies fans raved about for the first two months of the season.
Luzardo went six and two thirds innings, allowing just three hits and no earned runs while walking one and striking out seven. He looked in control all night. He held Juan Soto and Pete Alonso to hitless games. It was his longest start since May 25th.
How much does a Sunday night game in June matter? Well, a little more than the average one. A rubber match against the division rival who has owned you for the last seven months with a chance to leave the series with a lead at the top of the division.
“I’d be lying if I said starts like (Sunday night), you don’t bring a little extra knowing what’s on the line,” Luzardo said after the game.
Whether they’ll say it or not, you could tell the Phillies offense also had a little extra juice on Sunday. They tagged Peterson, a pitcher who has had their number for a while, for the worst start of his season. He threw just 4 innings, allowing 6 hits, 5 earned runs, 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts.
Four of those 5 runs were absolute tanks from Kyle Schwarber and Edmundo Sosa.
The Phillies finished the night with 10 hits, three of them coming from Sosa, who was just a triple away from the cycle. They secure a big series win against the Mets and kickoff a three-game set with the Houston Astros starting Tuesday night.
Luke Arcaini writes about the Phillies for Crossing Broad, covers the Phillies for FOX Sports The Gambler, and co-hosts "Phillies Digest" on YouTube. The wave is the worst thing in all of sports. Contact: lukearcaini8@gmail.com