Final Score: Phillies 7, White Sox 0
The Phillies are built to both pitch and hit well. They’ve pitched well so far this year. Their bats have been rather inconsistent, though. But things have been slowly getting better at the plate. And tonight was no different. Alec Bohm hit a pair of three-run home runs to give Spencer Turnbull plenty of insurance as he worked his way through the Chicago White Sox batting order with ease.
Bohm hit his first homer in the top of the first inning. Trea Turner reached base on an infield single. Bryce Harper followed that up with a walk. Two batters later, Bohm stepped to the plate with two outs in the inning. Three pitches in, he found himself in a 1-2 count. White Sox starter Garrett Crochet delivered the fourth pitch of the at-bat, a 97 mph fastball, up and out over the plate. Bohm got a hold of it and gave his club an early three-run lead with an opposite-field homer.
Two innings later, Bohm found himself in the same situation against the left-handed Crochet– runners on first and second with two outs. Turner reached base with a double. Harper walked again. This time, Bohm found himself in a full count. Crochet threw him an 88 mph cutter down and out of the zone. Bohm reached down to get it and got most of it. The ball landed just beyond the wall in left-center field, giving the Phillies a 6-0 lead.
Bohm’s six RBIs tonight tied his career-high. It’s the fourth time he’s driven in six runs in his career. Friday was also the fourth time in his career that Bohm hit multiple home runs in the same game.
Bohm was in favorable conditions tonight. He’s always hit left-handed pitchers well throughout his career with a .311/.363/.519 slash line. But he’s become a more important hitter for the Phillies as Nick Castellanos is working his way through a deep slump right now. Bohm has always been a breakthrough candidate, especially in the power department. If he can get going, Castellanos’ struggles won’t hurt the Phillies as much.
While Bohm possibly heating up at the plate would be a huge development for the Phillies, the performance of Turnbull might be even bigger. The right-hander pitched seven shutout innings tonight, lowering his ERA on the year to 1.23. He struck out six hitters and walked two. He also started his night by pitching 6 1/3 innings of no-hit baseball. White Sox right fielder Gavin Sheets ended Turnbull’s no-hit bid with a single in the seventh. It was the only hit Turnbull allowed.
Even though Turnbull has looked good through his first four starts, his time in the rotation is winding down. Taijuan Walker is expected to be back with the Phillies to make his season debut next weekend in San Diego. That will push Turnbull to the bullpen for the first time in his career. If Turnbull finds the same comfort out of the ‘pen that he has right now starting games, he would make an already deep bullpen even deeper for the Phillies.
Notes:
- Bohm wasn’t the only Phillies hitter to go deep tonight. Whit Merrifield, who changed his walk-up song, homered, too. It was his first home run for the Phillies and his first extra-base hit of the season. The veteran had been struggling so far this year as he entered play 3-for-28 at the plate.
- Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering pitched the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, and preserved the shutout. Friday was the third time the Phillies shutout their opponent this season.
- J.T. Realmuto was rocking brand-new yellow catcher’s gear tonight.
Ticket IQ Next Game
- Saturday, April 20 vs. Chicago White Sox at Citizens Bank Park
- 6:05 p.m. ET
- TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia+
- Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
- Spanish Radio: WTTM 1680
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