The Philadelphia Phillies won the first game of the 2024 MLB London Series, defeating the New York Mets 7-2 on Saturday.
Philadelphia hit three home runs in the win, but with no disrespect to Whit Merrifield and Nick Castellanos, Bryce Harper showed London what a star he is and captured the moment with his celebration after putting the Phillies on the board with his long ball. . .
Harper launched a high, inside slider from Mets starter Sean Manaea into the right field seats, which was enough of a spectacle for the fans at London Stadium. But “the showman” lived up to his nickname as he approached the Phillies dugout, sliding onto his knees to celebrate like a soccer player who just scored a goal.
“Come on! I love football! I love football,” Harper shouted as he high-fived his teammates in the dugout.
The slide was the Phillies slugger’s most emphatic acknowledgment of the game’s setting. Before his first two at-bats, Harper first played the Spice Girls’ “Wannabe” as his walk-on song, then followed with the Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun” before hitting his 15th home run of the season.
Although the solo home run tied the score at 1-1, it may have indicated an eventual Phillies victory. So far this season, Philadelphia is 22-0 when Harper has an RBI. according to ESPN. The Phillies improved to 44-19 for the best record in the National League and a nine-game lead in first place in the NL East.
After the game, Harper told reporters that he didn’t tell his teammates that he had planned the football-style slide because he wanted to surprise them. However, Phillies manager Rob Thomson admitted that he became nervous seeing Harper kneel.
“I was wondering if he was really going to do it when he crossed the plate,” Harper said. via The Associated Press. “My only fear was that my knees would get caught in the grass, but that didn’t happen.”
Saturday’s game was a celebration for the Phillies, which he took advantage of to enjoy the team’s international trip. Several members of Philadelphia’s 2008 World Series championship team, including Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Cole Hamels, Carlos Ruiz and Shane Victorino, gathered in the field during batting practice.
A club player who wasn’t there? Jayson Werth, whose horse, Dornach, won the Belmont Stakes Saturday afternoon. Werth said the victory was “on par” with winning the World Series. Would his former colleagues have agreed? Perhaps that conversation can take place in October.
