The Phillies were trailing by one when J.T. Realmuto stepped in with a smart two-strike approach. Facing an 0-2 count, he adjusted his swing and footwork, spoiling tough fastballs and eventually poking a two-strike changeup into play for a base hit. He reduced his leg kick, shortened his load, and prioritized staying alive over swinging big. That set the table for Bryce Harper.
Harper fell behind quickly with a miss on a 98 mph fastball. The pitcher tried a mix of locations—up and in, away, low, back to high heat. Harper fouled off tough pitches and laid off a nasty two-strike changeup low that looked like it should’ve gotten him. Then, with the count at 2-2, he got a 99 mph fastball on the outer half. He stayed on it and drilled it to the opposite field for a go-ahead home run. No major change in his swing from the earlier attempts, just better timing and contact. The dugout erupted. The bullpen stormed the field. Crowd went wild. The broadcast caught the moment perfectly, including fans mid-chaos and teammates losing it. Harper didn’t over-celebrate—just a simple nod and a shrug. It was a clutch swing in a pressure spot and a huge moment in the game.