Suárez's scoreless innings streak ends in otherwise brilliant effort in Phillies win over Padres

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suárez throws to a San Diego Padres batter during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Brandon Sloter)

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Ranger Suárez’s scoreless streak ended at 32 innings but he was otherwise brilliant through eight innings and Alec Bohm homered and drove in four runs for the Philadelphia Phillies, who beat the San Diego Padres 5-1 Saturday night to win the weekend series.

Philadelphia Phillies’ Alec Bohm runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the San Diego Padres during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Brandon Sloter)

Suárez’s scoreless streak, the longest in the majors this season and of his career, ended when he allowed Eguy Rosario’s two-out home run in the eighth inning. Suárez (5-0) allowed just three hits and struck out eight with no walks to win his fifth straight start.

Suárez threw 96 pitches. Jeff Hoffman struck out the side in the ninth and the game lasted just 2 hours, 9 minutes.

Suárez said he wasn’t concerned about his scoreless streak, which tied for fifth-longest in franchise history.

“If I did keep it going, then OK. But that was not my focus,” he said through an interpreter. “I was just focusing pitching good innings and helping the team win.”

Manager Rob Thomson said Suárez probably would have gone out for the ninth if he had the shutout intact.

“Soft contact, stuff was really good,” Thomson said. “He had it all going. He was getting ahead of hitters and staying ahead of hitters. No walks all night. But I thought he had all his pitches going.

Philadelphia Phillies’ Alec Bohm smiles after hitting a two-run home run against the San Diego Padres during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Brandon Sloter)

“He’s just having fun playing baseball right now,” the manager said.

Bohm, the third baseman, said it’s “been fun” playing behind Suárez.

“It’s a quick pace. He fills up the zone. There’s a lot of action,” Bohm said. “He’s not a guy going up there and pitching for strikeouts. He got quite a few tonight. But he’s attacking hitters. He gets soft contact. The infielders are fully engaged when he’s pitching.”

Philadelphia Phillies’ Alec Bohm flies out during the fourth inning of the team’s baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Brandon Sloter)

The Padres have been punchless in the first two games of this series after blowing a 9-4 lead at Colorado on Thursday and losing 10-9. They’ve lost three straight for the second time in a span of 10 games.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease reacts during the fourth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Brandon Sloter)

“Surgical’s the best way of saying it,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said about losing to Aaron Nola and then Suárez. “Suárez was tremendous. I mean, he threw the ball very well. Up, down, in, out. You think about the disruption of hitters’ timing and getting guys off balance.”

Bohm extended his hitting streak to 11 games. He hit a two-run homer to left field with two outs in the first, his fourth, and added a two-run single in the three-run fifth. Both were off Dylan Cease.

It was the Phillies’ sixth homer in the first two games of this series.

Cease (3-2) loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth and walked Bryce Harper to make it 3-0. Bohm followed with a two-run single to right. Trea Turner had three hits and scored on both of Bohm’s big hits.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease watches a throw to a Philadelphia Phillies batter during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Brandon Sloter)

Cease allowed five runs and six hits in six innings, struck out five and walked three.

UP NEXT

Phillies RHP Taijuan Walker, on the injured list since spring training with right shoulder soreness, is scheduled to make his season debut in the series finale on Sunday opposite Padres RHP Michael King (2-2, 4.11 ERA).

___

This story has been corrected to show that Suárez did not issue a walk.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb