Late rally helps Phils secure fourth straight win
Final Score: Phillies 6, Rockies 3
With Taijuan Walker on the mound for the Phillies and Austin Gomber pitching for the Rockies, tonight’s game in Colorado was locked into a pitcher’s duel through six innings. But as both starters made it towards the end of their respective outings, each team’s offense started to break through.
Through five innings, the only offense the Phillies could muster against Gomber — who faced the minimum number of batters through six innings — was a double by J.T. Realmuto. The veteran catcher attempted to make it to third on the play after the throw from the outfield rolled into the infield. His attempt was not successful, though, as he was thrown out at third to end the inning:
Walker got into a bit of trouble in the bottom half of the fifth after a leadoff double by Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon. But on a head’s up play by Trea Turner, McMahon was thrown at out third after trying to move up 90 feet on a rather routine ground ball.
Turner’s play wasn’t the only strong defensive display of the inning. With two outs, Ezequiel Tovar hit a ball out to right field and Nick Castellanos made one of his recently patented sliding catches:
Walker was in trouble once again in the home half of the sixth. On a ball nearly caught by center fielder Dalton Guthrie, Jurickson Profar doubled to put runners on second and third with nobody out. Two batters and one out later, C.J. Cron hit a sacrifice fly to center to drive in the game’s first run and give the home team a 1-0 lead.
That score did not last long, however, as Alec Bohm hit a one-out solo home run a half inning later to draw the score even at one run apiece:
Just like the 1-0 score, the 1-1 tie didn’t last long, either. Three batters after Bohm, Kyle Schwarber stepped up to the dish with two outs and a runner on first. He hit a ball to center field that kept on carrying in the thin Colorado air and made it’s way out of the park to give the Phillies a two-run lead.
The Phillies couldn’t hold on to their lead, though, as the Rockies scored two runs in their half of the seventh. With runners on the corners and nobody out, Rob Thomson dipped into his bullpen by replacing Walker — who ended the night allowing three earned runs over six innings — with Matt Strahm.
After striking out the first batter he faced, Strahm gave up a single that drove in the first run of the inning for Colorado. One batter later, Charlie Blackmon flied a ball to center for a sacrifice fly that tied the game 3-3. Luckily for the Phillies, Tovar attempted to advance to second base on the play, but was thrown out to put an end to the inning:
In the eighth, the Phillies put together a two-out rally. Turner doubled and Bohm walked to bring Bryce Harper to the plate. Harper brought both runners home for his 300th career double to put the Phillies on top 5-3:
After his double, the two-time NL MVP stole third, and the throw from Colorado catcher Elias Díaz sailed into left field, allowing him to score to extend Philadelphia’s lead to three.
With a three-run lead, Seranthony Domínguez pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Craig Kimbrel picked up career save No. 398 in the ninth to seal the victory for the Phillies.
Shibe Vintage Sports Notes
- Alec Bohm’s seventh inning home run was his fourth of the year and his first since April 10.
- J.T. Realmuto, who remained in the game after he appeared to have jammed a finger sliding head first into third base in the fifth inning, was pulled from the game in the top of the seventh with a sprained right pinky.
- Trea Turner’s double in the eighth inning extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
Ticket IQ Next Game
- Saturday, May 13 vs. Colorado Rockies at Coors Field
- 8:10 p.m. ET
- TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
- Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
- Spanish Radio: WTTM 1680
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