Phillies' Zach Eflin Blanks Yanks in 3-0 Win; Alex Bregman Walks Off Jays As Houston Wins

Players of the Day for Wednesday, June 27, 2018

American League

Alex Bregman socked a two-run, walk off homer in the bottom of the ninth as the Houston Astros recovered from a 5-0 deficit to defeat the visiting Toronto Blue Jays, 7-6.

Bregman: Walk-off 2R HR

After a disastrous first inning by starter Dallas Keuchel, in which the Houston ace allowed five runs, the Astros went on the offensive immediately, scoring three in the bottom of the frame. Keuchel lasted 5 1/3, allowing another run in the sixth, but Houston kept chipping away, though they still trailed, 6-5 entering the ninth.

Matt Kemp singled to open the ninth, but George Springer pooped out for the first out. Bregman, who had stroked a pair of doubles prior to his final at-bat, smacked an 0-2 pitch from Ryan Tepera deep into the left field stands for the win.

Bregman is batting .277 with 14 homers and 49 RBI.

The Astros took two of three from the Blue Jays and head to Tampa Bay Thursday for a four-game series with the Rays. Game one is scheduled for a 7:10 pm EDT first pitch.

National League

Eflin: 7IP, 4H, 0ER, W

Monday and Tuesday, the Yankees took two straight in Philadelphia, but Wednesday belonged to the Phillies, who avoided being swept on a brilliant pitching performance by Zach Eflin a three-run homer by Rhys Hoskins and a two-inning save from Seranthony Dominguez in the 3-0 whitewash.

Eflin (6-2) pitched his best game of the season, allowing four hits over seven innings, getting first strikes on 22 of the 26 batters he faced, striking out six and walking a pair. Only one Yankee - Miguel Andujar, in the second inning - reached second base as Eflin stymied the Bombers before Dominguez came in to slam the door shut with two perfect innings in relief, striking out three in the process.

Hoskins' homer - his 12th - came in the second off Yankee starter Luis Cessa (0-1), who lasted just three innings.

Eflin, who threw 67 of 92 pitches for strikes, completed his 10th start of the year, one less than in both all of 2016 and 2017, but the results are encouraging for Phillies' fans. In 2016, he was 3-5 with a 5.54 ERA. 2017 was a step back, as the 6'6", 24-year-old hurler went 1-5 with a 6.16 ERA. This season, the 6-2 record comes with a 3.02 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP and a 4-1 K-BB ratio.

The Phillies picked up a game on the Braves, as Atlanta lost, 6-5, to the Reds. They are three games back in second place. Philly hosts the Nationals for four games starting Thursday at 7:05 pm EDT. The Yankees get a day off before opening a three-game set with Boston at Yankee Stadium.