Bryce Harper doubled to start a seven-run, game-tying rally in the fourth inning, doubled in the go-ahead run in the sixth and sealed the Philadelphia Phillies' 17-8 win over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night with a three-run homer in the seventh.
The Phillies are three games behind first-place Atlanta - rained out Thursday - in the NL East with 16 games left this season, and 2 1/2 games behind St. Louis for the second wild card. San Diego and Cincinnati also lead Philadelphia in the wild-card chase.
Harper doubled and scored in the fourth, extending his hitting streak to 12 games. He's batting .436 (17 for 39) with four doubles, seven homers, 14 RBIs and 11 walks over that stretch. He has a hit in 21 of his last 22 games and is batting .314 with a 1.055 OPS and 77 RBIs this season.
Patrick Wisdom had a two-run double and Matt Duffy hit a three-run homer off JD Hammer in the third for a 7-0 lead. The Cubs had five hits, walked three times, Ian Happ was hit by a pitch, and they sent 12 batters to the plate in the inning.
Willson Contreras hit a solo homer to center off Hector Neris in the seventh and it was 10-8.
The Cubs did not name a starter for the first of a three-game set at Milwaukee. RHP Adrian Houser (9-6, 3.25 ERA) takes the mound for the Brewers.
