Clemens has RBI single in 9th to lift Phillies to 2-1 win over Rays

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kody Clemens singled with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth after Tampa Bay had tied the score in the top of the inning, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Rays 2-1 on Monday night.

Kyle Schwarber homered and Cristopher Sánchez pitched six shutout innings to help NL East-leading Philadelphia begin a six-game homestand with its 48th home victory of the season. The Phillies entered tied with the Dodgers for the most home wins in baseball.

“That's a backyard dream,” Clemens said. “For that moment to come up and get the job done, it's obviously pretty cool.”

Brandon Lowe hit the tying homer for the Rays, who began play five games out of a wild-card spot in the American League.

Manuel Rodríguez got the first out in the bottom of the ninth before being relieved by Garrett Cleavinger (3-5), who loaded the bases with two outs on a pair of singles and a walk. Clemens lined a 1-0, 95-mph sinker into right field to draw loud “KO-DY! KO-DY!” cheers from the crowd of 39,511.

“He can hit,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said.

Clemens' heroics was preceded by a walk to load the bases by minor-league call-up Buddy Kennedy, a native of nearby Millville and the grandson of former Phillies infielder Don Money. Fans loudly chanted “BUD-DY! ”BUD-DY!" during the at-bat.

“It was something very special, and I’ll always remember that for the rest of my life,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy got several texts after the game and expects to trade messages with star slugger Mike Trout, a fellow Millville native.

“I was getting chills,” Clemens said of hearing the chants while in the on-deck circle.

Carlos Estévez (4-4) blew his fifth save and second in six chances with the Phillies since being acquired prior to the July trade deadline in the top of the inning. Lowe led off the ninth with a pinch-hit drive to deep center. Johan Rojas appeared to make a stellar, leaping catch against the wall in left-center in the deepest part of the park, but the ball popped out of Rojas’ glove and over the fence for a home run after his glove hit the top of the outfield wall.

“My heart kind of dropped a little,” Lowe said. “Thankfully for me, the ball came out of his glove. It was a heck of an effort.”

Said Thomson, “That would've been an unbelievable catch, highlight-reel stuff. He did nothing wrong.”

The Phillies finished with five hits but didn’t get their first until Schwarber’s shot with one out in the sixth.

After Rays opener Cole Sulser pitched a scoreless first, Tyler Alexander retired his first 13 batters before Schwarber’s drive that traveled an estimated 447 feet. It was the sixth homer in seven games for Schwarber.

Sánchez struck out four and gave up four hits in six innings. Orion Kerkering tossed a 1-2-3 seventh, and Jeff Hoffman worked out of a jam in the eighth.

The Rays were vying for the fifth no-hitter in the majors this season and the second in franchise history, following Matt Garza’s no-hitter against Detroit on July 26, 2010. Philadelphia has been no-hit 22 times, which is the most in baseball.

Tampa Bay threatened in the eighth against Hoffman, putting runners on first and third with two outs on singles by Yandy Díaz and Jonny DeLuca. But Hoffman struck out Junior Caminero for the final out to keep the Rays off the board.

HARPER SORRY

Thomson said two-time NL MVP Bryce Harper apologized to him after staring down a ball in the ninth inning that went off the wall. Harper ended up only at first base after not running out of the box.

“He's accountable and admits to his mistakes,” Thomson said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Phillies: C JT Realmuto (left knee contusion) was out of the lineup for the third straight game. ... Estévez sustained a left knee contusion after getting drilled by a Josh Lowe liner that went for an infield single with two outs in the ninth.

Rays: Brandon Lowe hit after sitting out the weekend's games in Baltimore due to right middle finger inflammation.

UP NEXT

Rays RHP Taj Bradley (6-10, 4.40) opposes Phillies LHP Ranger Suárez (12-6, 2.90) in the second game of the series on Tuesday night.

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

Aaron Bracy, The Associated Press