PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — Cristopher Sánchez pitched seven innings of four-hit ball and Bryce Harper delivered a three-run homer in the first inning as the Philadelphia Phillies blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-0 on Saturday evening at PNC Park.

The left-hander Sánchez improved to 5-2 on the season, scattering six hits and striking out nine while walking none over seven dominant innings. He faced only two batters over the minimum and allowed just one extra-base hit, a double by Bryan Reynolds in the fourth. The Phillies, who evened their record at 23-23, gave Sánchez all the support he needed in the opening frame.

Trea Turner started the game with a single to right off Pirates starter Bubba Chandler. Kyle Schwarber walked, bringing up Harper, who crushed a 1-0 pitch to center field for his 11th home run of the season, making it 3-0. Harper’s blast, his second in as many nights, scored Turner and Schwarber and set the tone for a afternoon in which the Pirates never threatened.

Philadelphia added two more runs in the second inning. J.T. Realmuto walked, and after Justin Crawford flied out, Turner walked to put two on. Schwarber then doubled to right. The ball got past right fielder Jared Triolo on a throwing error, allowing both Realmuto and Turner to score and pushing the lead to 5-0. Chandler intentionally walked Harper, but Alec Bohm popped out to end the inning.

Chandler, who fell to 1-5, lasted only three innings. He allowed three hits, four runs — three earned — walked three and struck out two. The Pirates bullpen took over in the fourth and largely contained the Phillies. Evan Sisk worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts, Yohan Ramírez struck out three in a scoreless frame, and Isaac Mattson tossed 1 1/3 hitless innings with two strikeouts.

The Phillies added an insurance run in the eighth against Pirates reliever Justin Lawrence. Crawford walked, moved to third on Turner’s double, and scored on a throwing error by Triolo. Turner’s double was his eighth of the season.

Sánchez gave way to reliever Jose Alvarado in the eighth, and Alvarado recorded two strikeouts in a perfect frame. The Pirates mounted their only real threat in the ninth against Philadelphia closer Orion Kerkering, who allowed singles to Konnor Griffin and Bryan Reynolds to put runners at first and third with one out. But Marcell Ozuna struck out on a foul tip for the second out, and Nick Yorke grounded out to short to end the game.

For Pittsburgh, Nick Gonzales went 2-for-3, the only Pirates batter with multiple hits. Triolo, Henry Davis and Ozuna each went 0-for-4, while Ryan O’Hearn was 0-for-1 before exiting early. The Pirates slipped to 24-22.

Attendance was announced at 31,296. The game lasted 2 hours, 37 minutes.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Philadelphia 7, Pittsburgh 6. Interstat’s ELO system gave the Phillies a 53.40 percent probability of winning. Philadelphia was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total of six runs went over the over-under line of eight.