Categories: 2021 Postgame Recaps

Phillies have some life thanks to offensive outburst

Final Score: Phillies 13, Giants 6

An offensive outburst was all the Phillies needed to salvage their west coast trip. Every Phillies starter had at least one hit in a lopsided Phils win that featured multiple lead changes early on.

Rhys Hoskins homered twice in Saturday’s game against the Giants. (Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

Ronald Torreyes went 2-for-4 with a double, home run and three RBIs. Rhys Hoskins stole the show with a two home run and six RBI day. He’s the seventh Phillies player since 2000 to hit two or more home runs and drive in at least six runs in a game.

Without the Phillies offense, the story would have revolved around Aaron Nola’s rough outing. He surrendered six runs in less than three innings. The Phillies bullpen threw a combined 6 2/3 shutout innings.

Top Plays

It’s no secret that the Phillies have struggled to hit with runners in scoring position during the west-coast roadtrip prior to Saturday’s game. An easy solution to that? Just don’t swing at all. Alec Bohm drove in the game’s first run on an RBI hit-by-pitch. Giants starter Alex Wood had two strikes on Bohm and had the perfect chance to get the third out with a fastball inside.

Mike Yastrzemski crushed a two-strike fastball from Aaron Nola for a two-run home run to center field.

Rhys Hoskins responded with a two-run shot that nearly reached the back row of seats in left field. His 435-foot blast is his second-longest home run of the season.

LaMonte Wade Jr. launched his fourth base hit of the series in the second. He brought home Steven Duggar and Jason Vosler on a two-run double. Yastrzemski followed up in the next at-bat with a single on a pop-up in between shortstop and left field.

The fourth lead change of the game happened in the top of the third. Bohm and Ronald Torreyes combined for three RBIs to give the Phillies a one-run lead.

Once again, the Phillies would lose the lead in the next half inning. Brandon Belt homered to McCovey Cove to tie the game. It was Nola’s second home run surrendered with two strikes of the night.

Two pickoff attempts gone wrong led to Belt getting all the way to third following a single in the fifth. Ranger Suárez had him in between first and second, but a misplay from Hoskins on a transfer towards second cost him an out. Suárez had another great chance to catch Belt, but a pickoff throw to second landed in the outfield. The Phillies lefty was able to strand Belt as Solano flew out to deep left field for the final out of the inning.
As Jon Miller brilliantly said, the littlest guy on the field had just muscled up. Torreyes gave the Phillies a one-run lead with a solo shot to left field off Giants pitcher Jarlin Garcia.

Newly called up Matt Vierling notched his first big-league hit following Torreyes’ home run.

Vierling came around to score on a Hoskins double into triples alley. After an 0-for-33 slump, Hoskins now has a three-game hitting streak.

The Phillies all but secured the victory in the seventh with four more runs batted in. Odúbel Herrera scored the first run on a sacrifice fly and Hoskins launched his second home run of the game.

The Phillies weren’t done yet. Luke Williams doubled to left field to extend the lead to seven. Hopefully, the Phillies still have some offense left in them for Sunday’s finale.

Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance

Alex Wood: 3 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO, 1 HR, 75 pitches

Saturday wasn’t the best day for either Wood or Nola. Wood allowed three extra-base hits and was probably a pitch away from getting out of the first inning without any runs scored. He should have had a clean second inning if it wasn’t for an error from Donovan Solano, which led to a two-run home run. The cameras caught Wood pleading with Giants manager Gabe Kapler to stay in the game past three innings, which is a bold move for a pitcher who allowed three runs in the previous frame.

Embed from Getty Images

Aaron Nola: 2 1/3 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO, 2 HRs, 66 pitches

Nola has had a tough time putting together a string of good starts. After shutting out the Yankees over 7 2/3 innings, Nola failed to consistently throw strikes and left a few too many curveballs in the middle of the plate. Saturday’s outing marked Nola’s shortest outing of his career and only the second time he was unable to throw at least three innings. Nola said on the broadcast during Friday night’s game that he made some mechanical adjustments prior to his last outing against New York. Both Nola and pitching coach Caleb Cotham will have to go back to work as the 28-year-old never looked right.

Both bullpens were heavily featured in Saturday’s game. Here are the final lines for every reliever who appeared in the game.

Giants