The Phillies scored 14 runs and cruised to a stress-free victory over the Giants. originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
There is apparently no truth to the rumor that, after the second inning concluded Saturday night, Rob Thomson left the home dugout at Citizens Bank Park and went to his office to watch his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs take on their rivals Bruins in Game 7 of their NHL First Round Playoff Game.
But I probably could have done it. . .
Even with the start of the game delayed an hour and 10 minutes by rain, when the puck dropped at TD Garden, the Phillies had already chased down Giants starter Keaton Winn, batted and scored five runs in the first and then added four more. In a second.
Considering that the Phillies’ starter was left-hander Ranger Suarez, the reigning National League Pitcher of the Month, the Phillies had to feel very, very, very good about their chances at the time.
Of course, strange things can happen in sports. There was no guarantee that San Francisco wouldn’t mount a furious demonstration and achieve an epic come-from-behind victory. Heck, no one expected Mystik Dan, at 18-to-1 odds, to come out of the back of the field to win the Kentucky Derby.
Not this time. The Phillies cruised to a stress-free 14-3 victory. They have won four games in a row and 15 of their last 19 games. And when the standings were released at the end of the day, the top of the NL East standings looked like this:
W L PCT GB Phillies 23 11 .676 -- Braves 20 11 .645 1.5The Phillies felt comfortable enough to pinch-hit for Alec Bohm, who had already extended his career hitting streak to 17 games, in the third inning. He was announced as a precautionary measure due to tightness in his right hip, a discomfort caused by slipping on an awkward swing in his previous at-bat. He is expected to return to the lineup on Sunday.
“I’m fine. I’ve played in much worse situations,” Bohm said after the game. “It’s nothing that worries me. With the conditions (of the wet field) and the score, I understand that there was no need (to stay in the game). ”.
No, Trea Turner, no problem. Well, at least for one night. Over the next six weeks there are bound to be times when his unavailability due to a left hamstring strain will be evident. However, in his first game without him this season, they simply got over his absence.
It was their most runs in a game since they scored 19 against the Tigers on July 1 of last year. Every Phillies starter had at least one hit. Each scored at least one run except left fielder Brandon Marsh. Each drove in a run except catcher JT Realmuto and first baseman Bryce Harper.
“We’re a deep team and we’re pretty confident with everyone that steps into that box,” Bohm said.
The Giants officially raised the white flag in the bottom of the eighth, bringing in left fielder Tyler Fitzgerald to pitch.
Suárez had allowed a total of one earned run in his previous four starts. He wasn’t as effective Saturday night, but there were several factors that could have contributed to that. He was pitching on two extra days of rest. It can be difficult to stay focused on throwing with a big head start. Even the best pitchers in baseball history didn’t stay as hot as Suarez indefinitely.
But the biggest problem might have been the weather. The announced temperature at first pitch was 51 degrees and the game began in a steady drizzle that continued throughout the game. The grounds crew was out on the field all night making sure the field remained playable.
In the second inning, Giants designated hitter Jorge Soler hit a fly ball to first that Bryce Harper momentarily lost in the rain before catching it at the last second. Thomson said: “The conditions were bad but, in my opinion, playable. But we prefer to pass the match because double matches also worry me.”
Giants pitchers walked 10. Under those conditions, Suarez allowing three runs in six innings on seven hits and a walk while striking out six is even more impressive. Characteristically, he shrugged off anything that could be considered an excuse.
“There was nothing that distracted me from the game,” he said. “It was raining throughout the game, but I didn’t think about that. “I was just thinking about doing my job.”
Launching for the first time in a week? “No, no, no,” she said. “That didn’t affect me in any way. Any day they tell me I’m going to pitch, that’s the day I’m going to pitch and do my job.”
Thomson mentioned that after long pitches in the first and second innings, Suarez was able to come back and throw strikes. “It’s really hard for a pitcher to sit like he did for consecutive innings and then throw strikes again. “You don’t see that very often and he did it.”
The coach then returned to the clubhouse where he watched the Leafs lose in overtime.
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