Phillies breakthrough with Alec Bohm sac-fly in 9th inning for 1-0 win over Cardinals

The Phillies offense was AWOL, until Alec Bohm knocked in the go-ahead run with a sac-fly in the 9th inning to beat the Cardinals 1-0.

Phillies (46-39) Beat Cardinals (45-42) 

• Winning Pitcher: Jose Alvarado (3-1, 4.88)
• Losing Pitcher: Giovanni Gallegos (2-3, 3.27)
• Save: Corey Knebel (12, 3.09)

The Phillies have now held the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team scoreless for 27 straight innings dating back to a 4-0 win on July 3rd. Alec Bohm was the source of the Phillies only offensive production for the second game in a row, as Bohm hit an RBI sacrifice fly in the top of the 9th inning to score Mickey Moniak from third base and take a 1-0 lead.

The 9th inning featured a rare display of small ball from a Phillies squad much more well known for the long ball. Rookie phenom Darick Hall led off the inning with a double to right center off Cardinals reliever Giovanni Gallegos. Rob Thomson elected for Didi Gregorius to move the runner with a bunt in the next at bat and Didi rewarded his decision with a dribbler down the first base line, that beat the throw from Gallegos. Bohm was then able to life an 86 mph slider on the 6th pitch of the at-bat to right field to put the Phils up 1-0.

That was all the Phillies would need as starting pitcher Kyle Gibson tossed 7 scoreless innings, while giving up only a single in the 3rd inning and a double in the 5th. Gibson needed only 84 pitches to strike out five Cardinals as hitters, as the veteran right hander cruised without giving up a walk. Gibson’s best performance came in the 7th inning, which was also his last. Gibson worked through the heart of the Cardinals order forcing Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, and Dylan Carlson to ground, fly, and line out in that order.

Jose Alvarado, who hasn’t allowed an earned run since he gave up two in a June 12th loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, worked through two walks and a throwing error from catcher Garret Stubbs to escape the 8th inning unscathed.

Rob Thomson elected to go with Corey Knebel to pick up the save and it ended up being the right move, despite Knebel issuing a leadoff walk and a throwing error from Alec Bohm. With one out and runners on second and third, Rhys Hoskins cleanly field a ball at first with his back hand for the second out while preventing both runners from advancing and maintaining the slim lead.

Core Knebel then got former Phillie Corey Dickerson to fly out to a waiting Nick Castellanos who was standing on the edge of the warning track in deep right field.

The Joe Girardi Phillies would have absolutely loss this ball game but current skipper Rob Thomson seems to be pulling all the right strings and making the correct moves in crucial situations.

With the win the Phils are now 2 full games ahead of the Cardinals for the final wild-card playoff berth in the National League.

Day game tomorrow with a chance to sweep the Cards on the road and take a commanding lead in the wildcard race. Life is good!

Alec Bohm channels his inner Nolan Arenado with a sweet pick and an even better throw across the diamond to get this third base counterpart.

Alec Bohm gets Nolan Arenado AGAIN with a nice play at third base.

Bohm > Arenado

Matt Vierling makes a pretty diving catch and then face plants into the turf at Busch Stadium in the 7th inning.

Darick Hall with a leadoff double in the 9th inning to put the go-ahead runner into scoring position.

Didi Gregorius puts down a beautiful bunt and beats Cardinals pitcher Giovanni Gallegos to first. Everybody is safe and the go ahead run is on third base with nobody out!

Alec Bohm finally puts the Phils on the board in the 9th inning with an RBI sacrifice fly to right field.

1-0 Phils

Rhys Hoskins makes a nice defensive play to prevent the runners from advancing and scoring the tying while getting a clutch second out in the inning following the throwing error from Alec Bohm.

Whew!

Corey Knebel gets Alex Dickerson to pop up to right field, escaping the jam and propelling the Phils to a 1-0 victory!

PHILS WIN 1-0!!

Up Next for the Phillies

The Phillies will play for the series sweep as they take on the Cardinals in the final game of a three game series on Sunday afternoon.

Cristopher Sanchez (1-1, 3.48) will toe the rubber facing off against Andre Pallante (2-4, 3.03) in a rematch of a game we saw just last week. The first pitch scheduled for 2:15 pm.

NBC Sports Philadelphia will carry the broadcast of the game.

It is also the MLB.tv free game of the day!

Mandatory Photo Credit: Philadelphia Phillies