Josh Harrison, bullpen lead the way as Phillies take down White Sox in Tuesday’s Game 1

Final Score: Phillies 7, White Sox 4

Rainouts are particularly inconvenient when they follow a 23-hit, 14-run showing for a struggling team that can use all the momentum it can muster. Fortunately for the Phillies, Monday’s postponement didn’t seem to slow the offense down, as the bats led the way to a series-opening win over the equally-struggling Chicago White Sox.

The Phillies got to former Sox ace Lance Lynn early, scoring three in the first on the strength of a Nick Castellanos RBI single and two-strike, two-out, two-run knock from Alec Bohm.

Bryson Stott had kickstarted the rally with a little history. His leadoff single gave him a 17-game hit streak to start the season, breaking Willie “Puddin’ Head” Jones’ 73-year-old modern-day franchise record.

Bryson Stott now owns the modern-day Phillies record for the longest hit streak to begin the season.
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— Phillies Nation (@PhilliesNation) April 18, 2023

The lead swelled to five in the third, when Josh Harrison came through with a two-out and two-run knock of his own, scoring Castellanos and J.T Realmuto, who’d each singled.

But Wheeler, after cruising through two, hit a wall in the bottom half. Exit velocities such as 74.8, 66.4 and 76.4 mph manifested in six straight hits and four Chicago runs before Wheeler recorded an out.

Wheeler finished five innings with the score still 5-4, then got some help from the Phillies’ bullpen. Gregory Soto, Craig Kimbrel and Seranthony Domínguez each fired a perfect inning with two strikeouts.

C.B. taketh, C.B. giveth. A few weeks after embattled umpire C.B. Bucknor gave an estimated 2.63-run favor to the Rangers on opening weekend, Bucknor gave the Phillies extra life in the seventh. Jake Cave should’ve struck out to end a 1-2-3 inning, but a missed call extended the at bat. Cave reached, and Josh Harrison voiced his appreciation as such:

J-Hay’s first home run as a Phillie is a big one.
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— Phillies Nation (@PhilliesNation) April 18, 2023

The cushion was all José Alvarado needed. The flamethrowing lefty earned his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning, closing out the third win in four games for the now 7-10 Phillies.

Shibe Vintage Sports Notes

• With his scoreless sixth inning on Tuesday, Soto hasn’t allowed a hit in his last 5 2/3 innings of work. The only run on his line is an inherited extra-inning zombie runner that scored from second with Kimbrel on the mound — charged to Soto’s line, for some bizarre reason. Perhaps best of all: He’s only walked two in that span.
• After his 3-for-5 performance, Harrison is 7 for his last 17. He started the season 1-for-10. Do the math: He’s hitting .296.

Ticket IQ Next Game

• Tuesday, April 18 vs. Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field 
• Doubleheader Game 2
• TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia and MLB Network (available out of market only)
• Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
• Spanish Radio: WTTM 1680

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