Categories: 2023 Postgame Recaps

Big hits from Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber lead Phils to first victory of 2023

Kyle Schwarber drove in two runs in the Phillies’ win against the Yankees. (Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire)

Final Score: Phillies 4, Yankees 1

NEW YORK — The Phillies came into Tuesday’s game 0-4 despite outhitting their opponent in three out of the four contests. The offense wasn’t cold. They came into this game with a .287 batting average, good for fifth in all of baseball.

They just couldn’t get the big hit. The batting average with runners in scoring position heading into today was .231, 20th in baseball.

Their luck with ducks on the pond began to turn around when the $300 million man came to the plate with two runners on and two away in the fifth inning. It was his first opportunity to drive in a run as a Phillie.

Facing reliever Michael King, Turner threw his bat at a pitch way off the plate and poked it into right field to score the runner Brandon Marsh from second. For Phillies fans, it was the first taste of Turner’s elite two-strike approach and bat-to-ball skills.

“I think that’s where all his power comes from,” Rob Thomson said. “He knows where the barrel is at. He uses the pitcher’s power for his power.”

As if things couldn’t get better, Kyle Schwarber brought home his second run of the game on a ground ball to the right side of the infield that would have been an easy out with no shift ban. With the second baseman no longer allowed to stand in the outfield to gobble up the grounders lefties pull, Schwarber was able to sneak one through.

For someone like Schwarber, does having that hole open change his approach?

“For me, I guess, I’m a guy that can naturally kind of do that, so I don’t really want to try to yank around it all the time because it can get me in trouble on offspeed pitches, things like that,” Schwarber said after the game. “For me, just trying to stay through the middle and if I am early, not trying to hit it on the ground, but you kind of have that safety net there, that there’s still a possibility that it can be a hit now.”

…

The Phillies had a lead for the first time since Opening Day in the bottom of the first. Schwarber demolished a first-pitch fastball from Domingo Germán into the bleachers in right field.

Marsh doubled the lead in the third with a home run to the Yankees bullpen, his first of the year.

Matt Strahm’s excellent first outing as a starter since 2021 set the tone for what turned out to be a relatively comfortable first win of the season. With not a lot of pitches to work with, Strahm retired the first eight batters he faced and allowed only one hit, a single to Anthony Volpe, over four innings.

“I refuse to call myself a reliever or starter. I’m just a pitcher,” Strahm said. “Whatever they need, whenever they need it, I’ll do it.”

It was all Thomson could ask for. His pitch count will be around 75-80 in his next start against the Marlins.

He’ll remain in the rotation for the time being.

Andrew Bellatti, José Alvarado and Connor Brogdon combined to strike out six over four shutout innings. Craig Kimbrel ran into trouble against the top of the Yankees order. The Yankees managed to get the tying run up to the plate in Josh Donaldson, but Kimbrel was able to get the third baseman to pop up to first base to end the game.

Shibe Vintage Sports Notes

Thomson said after the game that Seranthony Domínguez was unavailable to pitch. He said Domínguez was “a little bit tight,” but that he’s OK. It’s something to monitor for Wednesday.
Schwarber’s first inning home run was the 200th of his career. He thinks he’ll be able to get the ball back.
Five games in, Turner is slashing a cool .391/.417/.609.

Ticket IQ Next Game