Phillies' bullpen preserves slim victory over the Dodgers without Bryce Harper

PHILADELPHIA — With two runners on base, one out, and the Phillies leading by two runs in the seventh inning Wednesday night, the best player in baseball dug in at the plate.

Sho-time, right?

You bet. And then Matt Strahm stole it.

Because if the script usually calls for Shohei Ohtani to bang a go-ahead homer, well, Strahm delivered the twist — or, more accurately, two late-breaking sliders. Ohtani took two of the ugliest hacks you’ll ever see him take, including the one that dislodged his helmet and struck him out.

Consider the lead protected, to say nothing of Strahm’s justification for why he will deservingly be in the All-Star Game next week. Seven outs later, the Phillies emerged with a 4-3 victory — and a series win, to boot — over the shorthanded Dodgers before 42,912 patrons at sold-out Citizens Bank Park.

Playing without Bryce Harper, slowed by a bruised left hand, the Phillies won for the 60th time in 92 games with a familiar formula. They jumped to a first-inning lead, capitalized on a few mistakes by the opponent, and got a quality outing from their starter before the bullpen made it hold up.

Rinse, repeat, and hang another win on the best record in baseball.

But when Strahm entered the game to face Ohtani, the outcome hung in the balance.

The Dodgers threatened to cut into a 4-2 Phillies lead when Chris Taylor and Austin Barnes singled against reliever Orion Kerkering. So, manager Rob Thomson called for Strahm, even though lefties are hitting nearly 100 points higher against him.

Strahm faced Ohtani twice before. Ohtani was 1 for 2 with a strikeout.

The at-bat started with a sinker at the knees for a called strike. Strahm went to the slider and Ohtani bailed, swinging weakly. Ohtani took a pitch, and Strahm went back to the slider for another awkward swing and miss.

José Alvarado gave up a run in the eighth inning, but Jeff Hoffman — Strahm’s catch partner and fellow All-Star — nailed down the save in the ninth, coolly watching as Will Smith flew out to the warning track in right field to end the game.

The Phillies took hold of the lead on the third pitch from Dodgers rookie starter Gavin Stone. Kyle Schwarber banged his 39th career leadoff home run (26th with the Phillies, eighth of the season).

It was 2-2 in the fifth inning, but with 92 games down and four to go until the All-Star break, it’s clear that it takes a nearly perfect game to beat the Phillies, who are as ruthless as they are talented. They make opponents pay for mistakes.

So, when Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages lost a ball in the lights that went for a leadoff triple for Whit Merrifield, the Phillies capitalized against Stone, who thought he was out of the inning when Trea Turner grounded a ball to short. But Turner beat it out, and Merrifield scored the go-ahead run.

After Alec Bohm doubled, Turner scored from third when Bryson Stott hustled to beat out an infield single for a 4-2 lead.