Bryce Harper hit a first-inning home run and drove in three runs as the visiting Philadelphia Phillies held off a late rally by the Los Angeles Dodgers to earn a 9-7 victory on Thursday in the opener of a four-game series.
Johan Camargo added a home run with three RBIs as the Phillies won for the fourth time in six games after a four-game losing streak to open May.
Cody Bellinger homered and Will Smith drove in three runs for the Dodgers, who fell for the third time in their past four games while giving up a season-high-tying run total.
Down 7-1, the Dodgers rallied to tie the game with two runs in the sixth inning and four in the eighth.
Smith had a two-run double for Los Angeles in the sixth and brought home the first run in the eighth with a single to cut the deficit to 7-4. Justin Turner followed with a pinch-hit, two-run double to make it a one-run game, and Chris Taylor tied it on an RBI single.
The Phillies loaded the bases with one out in the ninth inning against right-hander Daniel Hudson (1-3) before Odubel Herrera scored on a wild pitch for an 8-7 lead. Harper added a sacrifice fly for the Phillies’ final run.
The Dodgers loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the ninth but failed to score as former Los Angeles reliever Corey Knebel escaped for his seventh save.
Phillies starter Zack Wheeler returned from the COVID-19 injured list and gave up three runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out seven. Andrew Bellatti (1-0) recorded two outs in the eighth to earn the victory.
Dodgers starter Tyler Anderson was roughed up for seven runs on 10 hits over six innings. He fanned five without issuing a walk.
The Phillies led 4-0 after two innings on a first-inning home run from Harper, his seventh; an RBI single from Kyle Schwarber in the second and then a two-run home run from Camargo. Schwarber ended an 0-for-15 drought.
Bellinger went deep to right-center in the third inning, his fifth home run. Camargo, Harper and Schwarber drove in runs between the fourth and sixth innings to give the Phillies their 7-1 lead.
–Field Level Media
