The Philadelphia Phillies had luck on their side in the second inning. It wasn't a big hit that began to bury the San Diego Padres, it was the sun and bloop hits.
It all started with a rematch: Bryce Harper versus Blake Snell, the first time the duo faced each other since Snell broke Harper's hand with a pitch in late June. Looking for revenge, Harper forced an at-bat in which Snell threw more pitches to the Phillies' four-hole hitter, than he had the whole first inning.
It ended with a bloop single over the head of Ha-Seong Kim at shortstop, but that was just the beginning for the Phillies.
Next Nick Castellanos dropped his own single to right field that fell in front of Juan Soto before Alec Bohm strode to the plate.
He knocked in the first run of the afternoon on a lined single to right-center that scored Harper. Both Castellanos were able to advance on a poor throw to set the Phillies up with runners at second and third with none out.
Again, the Phillies got some luck. With Matt Vierling now at the plate, he lashed a fly ball to right field, it should have been catchable for Juan Soto, but the Padres superstar lost it in the sun, allowing Castellanos to score for a 2-0 lead.
The line kept moving.
Now it was Edmundo Sosa's turn and he added another run to the Phillies total with a broken bat bloop single to left, the Phillies now led 3-0.
That turned the line up over with Kyle Schwarber leading off. His hit should have ended the inning but Padres first baseman Brandon Drury was unable to make the play, getting an out at first but was unable to turn the double play.
Rhys Hoskins ended the inning with a flyout to right field. Soto didn't lose this one in the sun though.
The Phillies exited the inning up 4-0 without ever having hit a ball harder than 95.7 mph.
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