WASHINGTON — Two outs into the seventh inning of the opener of a doubleheader Friday, César Hernández surprised the Phillies by bunting for a hit.
Up stepped Juan Soto, representing the tying run.
In other years — heck, last month — that would’ve spelled doom for the Phillies’ bullpen and for Connor Brogdon, in particular. Not this time. Brogdon stared down the Washington Nationals slugger, mixed cutters and change-ups, and won an 11-pitch duel by getting him to fly out to center field.
