By: Matthew Mack
This past weekend the Philadelphia Phillies played against the Washington Nationals for a three game series at Citizens Bank Park.
Friday night, Philly wore their City Connect uniforms and had Zack Wheeler on the mound. Alec Bohm got things started with an RBI double to score J.T. Realmuto. The Nationals answered back with an RBI of their own in the second inning by Keibert Ruiz. Who hit a double to bring in Ildemaro Vargas from first. After that Philly dominated this game. Brandon Marsh scored on a wild pitch by Jake Irvin in the bottom of the second. Kyle Schwarber brought another run in with an RBI groundout in the same inning. In the next bottom frame, Marsh doubled in a run to extend the lead four-to-one. With Wheeler doing his thing on the mound, He pitched seven and one/third innings with six strikeouts on three hits, two walks, and two earned runs. Philly won four-to-two.
Saturday night, Phillies starter Christopher Sanchez was dealing. He pitched seven innings with eight strikeouts, allowed eight hits and two runs. In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Phillies were down a run. When Bryson Stott slammed one over the right center field wall for a solo home run for his fifth of the season. In the ninth, Nationals Jesse Winker breaks the tie with an RBI single to center. On the other side of the inning, Kody Clemens, who came off the bench earlier in the game, hit a solo home run to tie the game. His third of the season. As the game was sent to extra innings, Phillies reliever Gregory Soto shut the Nationals down in the 10th. In the bottom of the extra frame, Johan Rojas was the ghost runner and the Nationals intentionally walked Kyle Schwarber. J.T. Realmuto flied out to center, advancing Rojas to third for the first out of the inning. Bryce Harper was the next batter and he hit a sacrifice fly to center field, allowing Rojas to score and give the Phillies the win.
Sunday Afternoon, Aaron Nola would take the ball for Philly with a chance to sweep the series. Nick Castellanos drove home a run in the first to draw first blood in the Sunday matinee. In the next inning, Bohm drove in a run to make it two-to-nothing. Washington took the lead with two homers by Eddie Rosario. After the fifth inning, it grew into a rout. Bohm showed his improved batting skills driving in five runs during this contest. Harper, Clemens and Castellanos both cranked in a pair of RBIs in the fray. Nola, if you’re following the pitching theme here, went seven innings as well. He gave up two hits, three runs, two of them earned, striking out five while walking three to pick up his sixth win of the season. The Phillies take the win and the series, 11-to-five. For the Phillies, they are 20 games over .500 and are tied with the best start in franchise history since 1976 and 1993. Both of those teams made the postseason.
Just in case you have not heard, the Philadelphia Phillies are still the best team in baseball. They have an off day tomorrow and will finish the homestand when they face the World Series Champion Texas Rangers at The Bank. The Rangers (as of writing this piece) are one game out in the AL West behind the Seattle Mariners. The Phils will be tested when they face a tough Ranger team coming into South Philly. However, the Phillies rotation have shown that they can hold their own. As long the rotation continues to do what they have been doing and the lineup maintains their production, the sky is the limit with this team. And it is only the middle of May. Jump on the bandwagon now and continue to enjoy the ride.
