Bryce Harper Just Did Something in the 9th That No MLB Team Has Ever Done Before

The Philadelphia Phillies are making a habit of late-night heroics, and Bryce Harper is the guy swinging the bat when the lights are brightest.

On Thursday night against the Washington Nationals, Harper stepped in during the 9th inning with the game tied 5-5. He crushed a two-run homer that unlocked a five-run explosion. And with that swing, the Phillies became the first team in MLB history to hit a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning of three straight games, according to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs.

They won 10-5. Harper finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Not bad for a guy the league hasn’t exactly forgotten about.

The Three-Peat of Ninth-Inning Drama

All three of those 9th-inning homers came against the same Nationals team. In the first game, Brandon Marsh tied it with a two-run shot. Then Bryson Stott hit a three-run homer that sparked an eight-run inning. That one ended 14-9.

Game two? Derek Hill, who’d just been traded to Philly from the White Sox, came off the bench as a pinch-hitter and walked it off, 5-4.

Then came Thursday. Harper’s homer. History made. And the Phillies have now won seven of their last ten, sitting at 45-36.

What Harper Looks Like Right Now

Through 75 games, Harper is hitting .264 with 17 homers and 52 RBIs. He’s played both first base and right field and has a .995 fielding percentage with only three errors. For a guy who signed a one-year, $10 million extension in the offseason, he’s been the steady hand in a lineup full of veterans who’ve had their ups and downs.

The Phillies have heard the trade rumors floating around. But with Harper playing like this and the team surging, they’ve already shot those down. No reason to break up something that’s starting to click.