Bryce Harper has had a poor start to the season. Then, Tuesday night, it happened.
The Phillies superstar hit three homers in the first seven innings against the Reds, saving the best for last with a grand slam.
Harper was off to an 0-for-11 start, the worst stretch to start a season of his career that included two National League MVPs.
On top of that, Harper’s most memorable moment in Philadelphia’s 1-4 start was arguably his fall into the first base dugout and failure to catch a foul ball Saturday against the rival Braves.
His big night against the Reds should change that, however.
Harper’s big day started with the jump when he crushed a 420-foot solo home run to center field past Cincinnati starter Graham Ashcraft.
The slugger got the better of Ashcraft again in the fourth when he hit a line drive over the right field wall for a solo home run.
The explosion was a milestone for Harper, who scored his 1,000th career point.
Harper opened the game in the seventh inning against left-handed reliever Brent Suter, hitting a downfield pitch out of the strike zone 422 feet into right-center field for his third homer of the night.
It was only the second time he hit a three-homer game, most recently in 2015 with the Nationals.
If it wasn’t for Will Benson’s spectacular diving catch in the sixth, Harper probably would have had four extra-base hits in four at-bats.
But the three home runs and six RBIs should be enough to put an end to his bad patch at the start of the season.
New York Post
