Phillies Jump All Over Angels With 5-Run 1st Inning, Win Third Consecutive Game 7-2
The Phillies lit up Michael Lorenzen for five runs in the 1st inning and never looked back, beating the Angels 7-2 for their third consecutive win.
Phillies (24-29) Beat Angels (27-27)
- Winning Pitcher: Zack Wheeler (4-3, 3.14)
- Losing Pitcher: Michael Lorenzen (5-3, 3.69)
- Save: n/a
The Phillies offense exploded for the second consecutive night, as they scored five runs in the first inning, on four hits and one error. Five runs was all they would need, as Zack Wheeler continued the excellence that earned him the May NL Pitcher of the Month directly into June.
Both Johan Camargo and JT Realmuto notched 2 RBI hits in the 1st inning, bookended by a Mickey Moniak RBI single, in which he reached base on an error. Realmuto was 3-4 on the night raising his average to .260. After struggling for most of the month of May, JT is hitting well over .300 in the last two weeks with 1 HR and 9 RBI.
Wheeler tossed six terrific innings allowing two earned runs on six hits while striking out nine Angels hitters, including three of superstar Mike Trout. Wheeler threw 65 of his 99 pitches for strikes and lowered his ERA to 3.19 on the season. After all the struggles he faced to begin the season, he is only one or two quality starts away from matching the 2.79 mark from posted in his excellent 2021 campaign.
Angels starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen looked like he was on the ropes after throwing 30+ pitches in the 1st inning, but he settled down, allowing only one hit in his final 4.2 innings. For a small part of the game it appeared like the Phillies were bordering on slipping into another prolonged offensive drought. But Wheeler was just too good for the Angels offense and the bullpen helped him out tossing three shutout inning, allowing only one hit.
The Phillies avoided a save situation by tacking on two runs in the bottom of the 8th inning on a Johan Camargo RBI single, his fourth of the night. For the Angels, tonight was their 10 straight loss, the longest skid for the franchise in almost six years. Mike Trout, continued his woes at the plate in front of his hometown fans and now is now hitless in his last 23 at bats.
Speaking of hitless streaks. Alec Bohm went 0-4 tonight and now has just one hit in his last 24 at bats. Normally a footnote that wouldn’t make the recap, Bohm exhibited strange behavior when he was cut by his own bat during a temper tantrum in the Phillies dugout. Angry after striking out on three pitches in the 1st inning and looking to take his frustration out on anything he could find, Bohm attempted to break his bat on a rack and accidentally pushed it back into his face drawing blood for the national tv audience at home to witness.
In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with this. Alec Bohm is a freak and we all know that. It’s honestly just refreshing to see any emotion coming from the Phillies and I have to credit undefeated Phillies interim-manager Rob Thompson for the change.
The Phillies will look to complete the sweep of the Angels tomorrow afternoon with the first pitch scheduled for 1:35 pm.
JT Realmuto puts the Phillies on the board with a 2 RBI double in the Phillies big five run 1st inning.
2-0 Phils
Johan Camargo brings home 2 more runs with an RBI single off Angels starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen.
4-0 Phils
Mickey Moniak drive in the fifth run of the inning and manages to reach base on a throwing error by a visibly frustrated Michael Lorenzen.
5-0 Phils
Jared Walsh gets the Angels on the scoreboard in the 3rd inning while Rhys Hoskins is mic’d up for FOX.
5-1 Phils
Jared Walsh drives in his 2nd RBI of the night
5-2 Phils
Johan Camargo knocks in two insurance runs in the bottom of the 8th inning.
7-2 Phils
No longer in a save situation, manager Rob Thomson chooses to go with Connor Brogdon who sets the Angels down order in the top half of the 9th inning.
Phillies WIN 7-2!
2-0 in the Rob Thomson era!!
Up Next
The Phillies host the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday afternoon in the final game of a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park.
Kyle Gibson (3-2, 3.83) will toe the rubber facing off against Patrick Sandoval (3-1, 2.70), with the first pitch scheduled for 1:35 pm.
NBC Sports Philadelphia will have the broadcast of the game.
Mandatory Image Credit: Philadelphia Phillies
