Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper could do no wrong in Tuesday's 9-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Harper blasted three home runs and drove in a career-high six RBI in a rain-drenched affair that also saw the former two-time National League MVP record his 1,000th career run scored. Harper has always had a flair for the dramatic, and Tuesday night's game was no exception.
It's hard to argue that anyone could possibly have had a better night than Harper, but according to a social media post by 94.1 WIP radio host Al Morganti, a fan who caught Harper's record-setting home run ball, gave the milestone ball to a young fan named Dylan Silkowski so he could meet Harper after the game and return to the ball.
Yep, Bryce Harper does it right! After three home run game trades a baseball with Dylan Silkowski of Stratford, NJ who got ball after Harper’s HR for 1,000th career run scored. An actual nice adult who caught the ball gave it to Dylan to make an unforgettable night. pic.twitter.com/rSzHjh9UpR
— al morganti (@nufced) April 3, 2024
In exchange for the milestone baseball, Harper met Silkowski and a small group of children on the field after the game and presented the luckiest kid on the planet with a freshly signed baseball in addition to a one-on-one photo. This wholesome moment between the Phillies superstar and the young fan is the latest reminder that Harper is a Philadelphia athlete who understands the responsibility that comes with being the face of an organization.
Bryce Harper's bat is starting to come around after a slow start
Prior to Tuesday's breakout performance, Bryce Harper was off to a slow start to the 2024 season. Hitless through his first four games, some skeptics were beginning to wonder if the back stiffness that kept Harper out of a number of games late in spring training was affecting his swing at the plate.
It also didn't help that Harper took a concerning tumble into a camera well in an attempt to field a foul against the Atlanta Braves last weekend. His 0-for-11 start certainly raised eyebrows. But Harper's performance at the plate during the last two games has seemed to calm fans' nerves, as Harper is now 4 for his last 8, with three home runs and six RBI. Seeing Harper finally locked in at the plate is a welcome sight, as the Phillies will travel to face his former team, the Washington Nationals, in a three-game weekend series that starts on Friday.
Man, Harper really took a tumble today. pic.twitter.com/yHKyFDzhWW
— HEY CAM (@HeyCam93) March 31, 2024
The Phillies will try to win their first series of the 2024 season when they face a 2-4 Nationals team that is still in the early stages of a rebuild. The Phillies will send Aaron Nola to the hill on Friday, with left-hander Patrick Corbin toeing the rubber for the Nationals. Nola will be looking to secure his first win of the season after a shaky first outing, with the first pitch slated for 6:45 p.m. ET.