PHILADELPHIA — As Jesús Luzardo jogged on the field for the ninth, Citizens Bank Park thundered around him. “Dreams and Nightmares” blasted as Luzardo warmed one last time. The crowd rose to its feet and burst into applause.The adrenaline ran through Luzardo, who said he tried to control his emotions and attack. Behind the plate, Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto thought to himself, ‘’Zeus has got to be amped up right now because I’m feeling it.”“So I’m like, ‘We’re going to go a few more heaters this inning because he’s got to feel a little extra life on it,’” Realmuto said.Luzardo threw 17 pitches in the ninth; six of the first eight were fastballs as he pushed into uncharted territory. In 149 major-league starts, Luzardo had never thrown in the ninth inning until capping off a masterful 109-pitch complete game in a 1-0 win against the Atlanta Braves on Monday. It was the crowning achievement of a summer in which the lefty has emerged as the Phillies’ most reliable pitcher, cementing his place as one of the best starters in the sport, powered by one of the best pitches in the sport — his sweeper.
Hats off to Jesús pic.twitter.com/tP1oxIKGpM
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 7, 2026
