Phillies Clobber Rockies 7-3 for Third Straight Win
For the first time this season, the Phillies won their third game in a row by clobbering the Rockies 7-3 Wednesday night in South Philadelphia.
Ranger Suarez picked up his first win of the season, after tossing six innings and allowing three earned runs. Despite not having his best stuff, Ranger managed to scatter seven hits while limiting big innings for the struggling Rockies. Suarez walked a batter and allowed three singles during a long 3rd inning that easily could have gotten away from him, but instead settled down and kept it a tie ball game. He allowed a solo home run to CJ Cron in the 6th inning although that was all the Rockies could produce off the man many are calling the ‘Latino Gred Maddux’.
Odubel Herrera hit his second home run in as many nights to lead of the scoring in the 1st inning, while driving in another run with a sac-fly in the second. If Joe Girardi was waiting for someone to take command of the center field position, I think he may have found his man in the surging El Torito.
Bryce Harper, who has quietly had a hit in 12 of the last 14 games , continued to look locked in at the plate going 3-4, 2 R. The reigning NL MVP had struggled out of the gate, slashing a lowly .138/.257/.310 following the Phillies 7-1 loss to the Marlins on April 15th. Despite an elbow injury that reportedly ‘doesn’t feel good’, and his public disdain for hitting in the DH spot, Harper has been looking more and more like himself lately.
The Phillies got 7 RBI from the combination of Garret Stubbs, Odublel Herrera, Alec Bohm and Didi Gregorius. Getting that kind of production from the back of the lineup will make the Phillies extremely hard to beat when the balls are flying out of CBP later in the summer.
Its a common trope…but say it with me…This team is going to go as far at its pitching will take them. The early returns have not looked good, for either the starters or the famously flimsy bullpen. I personally believe a lot of that has to do with the shortened spring training schedule, but we are not here to make excuses.
Joe Girardi handed the ball over to five Phillies relief pitchers who combined to allow no runs over three innings. Jose Alvarado and Jeurys Familia both allowed two hits, but were bailed out by Seranthony Dominguez and Brad Hand respectively. Just last week the Phillies bullpen was ranked dead last in the MLB with an 4.95 ERA. Quality pitching spanning the last week has dropped that ERA by half a run and they now sit at a more respectable 24th .
The Phillies will GO FOR THE SWEEP and can get back to .500 tomorrow afternoon, in a classic get-away game for the Rockies, who I can promise you want to get the fuck out of Philadelphia.
Phillies (9-10) Beat Rockies (10-8)
- Winning Pitcher: Ranger Suarez (1-0, 4.42)
- Losing Pitcher: Ryan Feltner (0-1, 7.20)
- Save: n/a
Odubel Herrera flashed some quick hands and sent this lead off home run off Ryan Feltner 429 feet to right field.
1-0 Phillies
Alec Bohm struck out with two runners on base in what could have been a big first inning, but he forced Feltner to throw 11 pitches in the longest AB of the night.
Thats a nasty 92 mph sinker from Ranger Suarez to get Ryan McMahon ending the 2nd inning.
Odubel Herrera drove in his second run of the night with this sac-fly to score Johan Camargo.
2-0 Phillies
Connor Joe just managed to get this grounder past Didi Gregorius, scoring one run which was ensured by the terrible throw from Kyle Schwarber.
2-1 Phillies
Randal Grichuk tied it up with a bloop single down the right field line in what could have been a big 3rd inning if not for some bad Rockies base running.
2-2 Phillies
Bryce Harper with the first of two triples on the night for the Phillies who were running and making smart plays on the basepaths. Nick Castellanos would score Harper on the next at-bat with a sac-fly RBI.
3-2 Phillies
Didi Gregorius who is slashing .341/.391/.439 lined the first pitch he saw from Feltner off the right field fence padding the Phillies lead.
4-2 Phillies
C.J. Cron who is establishing a case to be named an ‘Official Phillies Killer’ took Suarez deep for a solo home run cutting the lead to one run.
4-3 Phillies
Garrett Stubbs, who at 5’10 170lbs, is the smallest catcher I have ever seen. Thats just a really strange body type for a modern backstop. Regardless, Stubbs scooted around the bases for the first triple of his career.
5-3 Phillies
There was nothing Ryan McMahon could do with this Alec Bohm slow dribbler down the third base line adding to the Phillies lead in another weird defensive play for the Rockies.
6-3 Phillies
Didi Gregorius knocked in Nick Castellanos with this RBI sac-fly in the 7th inning in what would be the last scoring before the South Philly wind started blowing and everyone wanted to go home.
7-3 Phillies
Brad Hand came in for relief of Jeurys Familia who had just allowed two hits and got Ryan McMahon looking with a nasty off pitch.
Up Next
DAY GAME ALERT!
The Phillies will look to make it four wins in row for the first time this season, as they can SWEEP the Colorado Rockies on Thursday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.
Zach Wheeler (0-3) will try again to get his first win of the season, facing off against lefty Austin Gomber (1-1) with the first pitch scheduled for 1:05 pm.
NBC Sports Philadelphia will carry the broadcast of the game.
