Ranger Suarez became the majors’ first 10-game winner and Bryce Harper celebrated his tying home run with a soccer slide as the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the New York Mets, 7-2 in the opener of Major League Baseball’s third London Series on Saturday.

Harper’s homer sparked a six-run fourth that included Whit Merrifield’s three-run homer and the major league-best Phillies (45-19) won their fourth in a row and seventh in eight games.

Harper finished a triple shy of the cycle and did a soccer slide in front of the Phillies dugout and moments later yelled “I love soccer!” while high-fiving teammates.

Nick Castellanos went deep in the eighth inning as manager Rob Thomson earned his 200th regular season win (200-137).

Suarez gave up two runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings and Philadelphia’s bullpen worked 3 1/3 scoreless innings.

Starling Marte had two hits and an RBI for the Mets, who had won three straight.

 

RINGGGGG ITTTTTTTT pic.twitter.com/RDA6fJsnxd

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) June 8, 2024

Streaking Reds edge Cubs

TJ Friedl homered and knocked in three runs and Jeimer Candelerio also went deep as the Cincinnati Reds held off the Chicago Cubs, 4-3, for their seventh straight win.

The Cubs threatened to tie in the ninth with runners at first and third with one out, but Justin Wilson got Ian Happ on a foul popup and retired Mike Tauchman on a groundout for his first save since 2019.

Andrew Abbott allowed five hits and walked four in five innings, but the only run he gave up was on Dansby Swanson’s first-inning RBI double. He struck out Patrick Wisdom three times and Christopher Morel twice.

Candelerio’s first-inning home run off Ben Brown lifted the Reds into a 1-1 tie, and Friedl’s two-run shot in the third was his third homer in the last seven games.

 

SEVEN. STRAIGHT. WINS. #ATOBTTR!

FINAL: Reds 4, Cubs 3!
Celebrate at your neighborhood @Skyline_Chili! pic.twitter.com/sSGKhu7sR7

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) June 8, 2024

Hernandez goes deep twice as Dodgers rout Yankees

Teoscar Hernandez belted an eighth-inning grand slam for his second homer of the game and drove in six runs to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to an 11-3 victory over the New York Yankees.

Hernandez opened the scoring in the second inning with a solo shot off Nestor Cortes and connected for his fifth career grand slam in the eighth to extend the lead to 8-2.  

The six RBIs matched a career high for Hernandez, who had done that twice previously. He has eight RBIs in the first two games of this series.

Kike Hernandez also went deep and Freddie Freeman added a two-run double for Los Angeles, which has taken the first two games of this marquee series in the Bronx.

Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 22nd and 23rd home runs as the Yankees lost their second straight following an eight-game winning streak.

New York’s star right fielder Juan Soto sat out his second consecutive game with left forearm inflammation.

BRONX BOMBER, TEOSCAR HERNÁNDEZ. pic.twitter.com/gn2ko3wyJ3

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 9, 2024