CHICAGO — It wasn’t a home run. But it didn’t matter.
There have been times over the last month when the Phillies would have preferred for Bryce Harper to hit the ball over the fence. And surely they will depend on it in the second half of the season.
But in the third inning Thursday night, with the game tied and two runners in scoring position, they needed only for him to put the ball in play. So, Harper stayed back on a change-up and stroked a one-hopper past a diving defender for a two-out, two-run single.
