The Phillies gutted out a 2-1 win over the Rays Friday night, and it couldn’t have happened without a sterling performance by Vince Velasquez.
Velasquez pitched his best game since striking out 16 in early 2016, going 6.2 innings while K’ing seven Rays and giving up just three hits and a run. He was composed, in control, and never seemed to battle.
The Phils offense was slow to get going but finally broke out in the sixth, thanks to a double by J.P. Crawford and subsequent bloop single by Carlos Santana. With the game tied at 1-1, Gabe Kapler pushed the right buttons with the bullpen, as Luis Garcia, Adam Morgan and Edubray Ramos pitched well late.
Then in the top of the ninth, Scott Kingery doubled and Jorge Alfaro sliced a ball through the infield. Kingery scored the go-ahead run, and Hector Neris closed out the game.
The Phillies are now 7-5.
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