Cristopher Sánchez dazzles with four-hitter in Phillies’ 4-1 win over Red Sox

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 first one.

But while Harper appreciates baseball history, no, he didn’t set out in the first inning Tuesday night to mimic the Dodgers’ Manny Mota on Aug. 1, 1971. Rather, with two out, a left-handed hitter at the plate, and Red Sox starter Richard Fitts pitching out of the windup as opposed to the stretch, Harper realized an opportunity.

Oh, and given how Cristopher Sánchez has pitched, Harper figured a two-run lead in the first inning would feel like oh-so much more.

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So, Harper tried to steal home, just like Mota 54 years ago. The rest of the play unfolded the same way, too. Red Sox catcher Carlos Narváez crossed in front of the plate, like the Reds’ Johnny Bench, impeding Brandon Marsh’s chance of hitting the pitch.

Catcher’s interference. Run scored.

Sánchez took it from there, delivering a 106-pitch complete game to fuel a 4-1 victory in sold-out Citizens Bank Park, break a three-series losing streak, and set up the Phillies to aim for a sweep Wednesday night.

“Oof. Electric,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “Electric. He’s one of the best pitchers in the big leagues. His fastball is unique. His changeup is, too. He was on point. That was one of the best I’ve seen in a while.”

Consider it confirmation of what the Phillies have argued for weeks, notably that Sánchez is the best pitcher who wasn’t an All-Star. He has a 2.40 ERA, fourth among National League pitchers with at least 100 innings and right on the tail of teammate Zack Wheeler (2.39).

If not for Rob Refsnyder’s fourth-inning leadoff homer, Sánchez would’ve collected his second career shutout. No wonder, then, that Sánchez let out a roar after striking out Refsnyder on a signature changeup to close the eighth inning.

“He got me,” Sánchez said through a team interpreter. “He homered off me. Then, I got him twice — two Ks. That’s why I showed so much emotion."

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It spilled out of Sánchez again after a game-ending three-pitch strikeout of Romy González. But first, the crowd rose and cheered — “Goosebumps,” Sánchez said — as he came out for the ninth inning at 96 pitches. He struck out Roman Anthony, got Alex Bregman to line out, and struck out González, after which he pointed at catcher J.T. Realmuto, pumped his fist, and yelled.

The whole thing took 10 pitches.

“Sánchy went out there and did his job — and more,” Harper said. “Just the combo that he has, that fastball, that sinker, and that changeup, it’s just electric stuff. He’s done a great job for us.

In fact, the Phillies (58-43) owe their half-game lead over the Mets in the NL East to starting pitching, especially Wheeler and Sánchez. And in following Wheeler’s six grind-it-out innings in the series opener against the Sox by topping him, Sánchez enabled everyone to dream of them doing it in Games 1 and 2 of a playoff series.

“We have a healthy competition within us,” Sánchez said, “and just try to have fun and enjoy pushing each other.”

Harper, the engine that powers the offense, has been on an extra-base binge for nearly 10 games. He singled in the first inning. And after Nick Castellanos drove in Trea Turner with a single, Harper noticed a slow windup on Fitts’ first pitch to Marsh.

It was all he needed to see.

“I don’t think anybody thought I was going to do it,” Harper said. “I just thought it was a good moment, a good opportunity. I saw him go out of the windup on that first pitch and he was pretty slow. I thought, ‘Why not give it a chance right here?’”

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When Narváez stepped in front of the plate, home-plate umpire Edwin Jimenez called the play dead. In accordance with Rule 6.01(g), the catcher (yes, the catcher) was charged with a balk. Harper was awarded home plate and Marsh first base. Harper wasn’t credited with a steal; Marsh wasn’t given an RBI.

“The purpose of the rule is to protect the hitter striking at the pitch,” crew chief Quinn Wolcott told a pool reporter. “So, [the catcher] can’t invade the hitter’s space, either. Even if he were to come around the plate, it would still be a violation.

“It’s pretty cut-and-dried that the catcher just can’t go that far forward before he receives the pitch.”

The Phillies stretched the lead to 4-0 on second-inning solo homers by Max Kepler and Kyle Schwarber, who continued his contract push with his team-leading 33rd homer.

Before the game, Cora noted that he’s “very intrigued” by Schwarber’s looming free agency. Surely other teams are, too.

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

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At present, the Phillies are a threat to win whenever Wheeler and Sánchez pitch, perhaps the best reason for them to be aggressive about improving the bullpen and adding a hitter before the trade deadline at the end of the month.

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

Especially when their aces are on the mound.