Cristopher Sánchez dazzles with complete-game performance in Phillies' 4-1 win over Red Sox

Scott Lauber, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Jul 22, 2025

Published in Baseball

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PHILADELPHIA — When the Phillies won on a catcher’s interference call in the 10th inning Monday night, it marked only the second known time that a major league game was decided by that rule.

Leave it to Bryce Harper to recreate the other one.

It wasn’t clear whether Harper, with his deep appreciation of baseball history, actually unearthed video from the ninth inning on Aug. 1, 1971 in Cincinnati. But he sure did make like the Dodgers’ Manny Mota in attempting to steal home in the first inning Tuesday night.

The rest of the play unfolded the same way, too. Red Sox catcher Carlos Narváez crossed in front of the plate, just like the Reds’ Johnny Bench, impeding Brandon Marsh’s chance of hitting the pitch.

Catcher’s interference.

Run scored.

It was the Phillies’ second first-inning run, to be specific, and with a dazzling 106-pitch complete-game gem from Cristopher Sánchez, it fueled a 4-1 victory in sold-out Citizens Bank Park. They broke a three-series losing streak and will aim to sweep the Red Sox on Wednesday night.

All together now: That’s more like it.

“It’s a veteran team that, around this time, they start picking it up, which is ironic because they’re in first place,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “No doubt, they’re going to be OK.”

Especially if Harper is the engine that powers them.

But the Phillies (58-43) owe their slim lead over the Mets in the National League East to starting pitching. Sánchez, the lefty counterbalance to Zack Wheeler atop the rotation and the best pitcher to not get picked for the All-Star Game, continued his brilliance.

Sánchez followed Wheeler’s six grind-it-out innings in the series opener by giving up little more than a solo homer to Rob Refsnyder in the fourth inning. He finished the eighth by striking out Refsnyder on his signature change-up, his 96th pitch of the game.

Was there any doubt that Sánchez would start the ninth?

Even with Roman Anthony, Alex Bregman and Romy González — the Red Sox’s Nos. 2-4 hitters — due to bat, Sánchez popped out of the dugout. And he dispatched the heart of the order in 10 pitches, including a three-pitch whiff of González.

After getting González to swing through a change-up, Sánchez pointed in at catcher J.T. Realmuto and pumped his fist. In winning his ninth game in 11 decisions, Sánchez lowered his ERA to 2.40, fourth in the National League and just behind Wheeler’s 2.39 mark.

Harper, who has been on an extra-base binge lately, lined a one-out single in the first inning. Nick Castellanos followed with an RBI single to drive in the first run and send Harper to third base.

As Red Sox starter Richard Fitts delivered the second pitch to Marsh, Harper broke for home. Narváez stepped in front of the plate, and after the umpires conferred, Marsh was awarded first base.

The Phillies stretched the margin to 3-0 in the second inning on Max Kepler’s homer. Two batters later, Kyle Schwarber’s team-leading 33rd homer made it 4-0.

It continued a salary drive for Schwarber, who will be in demand by several teams.

Maybe the Red Sox?

“This is a guy who, in a short period of time, touched everybody here,” said Cora, who managed Schwarber with the Red Sox in the second half of the 2021 season. “I hate to say it, but [Philadelphia] is the perfect place for him, because he can handle this and more. Very proud of him. They’re very happy with him. We’ll see what the future holds.”