Tyler Phillips threw a four-hit shutout in his third major league start, leading the Philadelphia Phillies to an 8-0 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday night. Phillips, a right-hander from South Jersey and a dedicated Phillies fan was excited about his performance.
“I’ve never done that before,” Phillips said. “It felt pretty awesome.”
This shutout was the 21st complete game in the majors this season and the 12th individual shutout.
Bryce Harper, Brandon Marsh, and Kyle Schwarber all hit home runs in a seven-run fourth inning. Nick Castellanos also homered in the sixth. The Phillies also made a significant move by acquiring closer Carlos Estévez as part of an eventful night at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies got Estévez, a 2023 All-Star, just hours after placing All-Star lefty Ranger Suárez on the 15-day injured list due to lower back soreness.
Phillips, who grew up a Phillies fan in Lumberton, New Jersey, was pleased with the team’s moves.
Phillips improved to 3-0 and became the first Phillies rookie to throw a shutout since Zach Eflin in 2016. Phillips has won all three of his major league starts, providing the Phillies with a surprising boost in the second half of the season while filling in for injured starters Taijuan Walker and Spencer Turnbull.
As a child, Phillips attended games at the old Veteran Stadium and, more recently, at the current ballpark where he shut down the AL Central leaders on Saturday.
A crowd of 44,356 cheered loudly, celebrating Phillips’ performance as if he had pitched a no-hitter when he retired Angel Martinez on a flyball to left to end the game.
“You’re a rookie and you’re going to the ninth inning with a chance to have a complete game shutout. That’s nerve-racking for some,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “But he was just as calm as can be.”
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