Hoskins, Phils hit an early tipping point
PHILADELPHIA » Ryan Howard did it. The same with Chase Utley, Shane Victorino and Cole Hamels, among other Phillies stars.
Nothing says iconic more than a tip of the cap at Citizens Bank Park. Rhys Hoskins joined the club Saturday.
The inning after Hoskins’ three-run shot gave the Phillies a lead in what became a 6-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, he played to the loyal fans in left field, where he had just rocketed the baseball. A tip of the cap is worth 1,000 words.
“It’s cold,” Hoskins said. “And they’re out there watching us in the cold. They deserve it. It was fun.”
The Phillies deserve a tip of their critics’ caps, although you won’t hear the players griping about it. It’s impossible to ignore the way they’ve bonded under Gabe Kapler, who was booed in this very park for his oddball managerial moves.
The Phillies’ post-game clubhouse is a laser show with loud music after victories. It’s tough to remember what the losing clubhouse is like because the Phillies have won 10 of their last 12 games, eight of their nine starts at Citizens Bank Park, and four of their last five series. With a 13-7 record, they’ve moved into second in the NL East.
Phillies players have a chip on their shoulder that shows when they play and behind closed doors, we learned.
Entering the four-game set with the Pirates, who arrived with a 12-6 record, the Phillies had been summarily dismissed as a team that constructed its winning record by beating bad teams. The proof was in the collective records of the Marlins, Reds and Rays. The players heard it.
“We had a conversation as a team before the series,” Hoskins said. “This was going to be a good chance, two good teams going at it, two teams that are playing well. This was going to be a good chance to show a little grittiness. What kind of team we are. And I think we’d done that so far.”
The Phillies won by one run Friday. They were in trouble Saturday until the bottom of the sixth inning despite another stellar performance by Aaron Nola. On the day, Nola pitched seven innings, allowing just four legitimate hits, and recording nine strikeouts. It was the 11th straight game a Phils starter has allowed three or fewer runs.
With one out, the Phillies won a replay reversal, the umpires agreeing that Steven Brault hit Carlos Santana. Odubel Herrera singled to put runners on the corners.
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle brought righthander Michael Feliz in as part of a double switch, and Feliz threw smoke. The first six pitches clocked as high as 97 mph. put Hoskins down 1-2 in the count. The seventh one went into the seats.
“I got a pitch to hit and I put a good swing on it,” said Hoskins, who leads the club with four homers and 19 RBIs. “Whatever the count may be, 2-0 and 0-2 is the same thing. I think if you can kind of control your heart rate and be comfortable in the box, good things are probably going to happen.”
On his swing around first base, Hoskins took a fake handoff from Phillies first base coach Jose Flores and continued as the coach pantomimed hitting him with a pass. That wasn’t lost on his teammates or the crowd of 28,161.
“That was cool for all of us,” Kapler said.
The Phillies added three runs in a chaotic eighth inning to ice it, the Pirates in complete disarray. Reliever Felipe Vasquez threw two wild pitches to the first two batters he faced.
Let’s not forget the competition. The Pirates (129) have a winning record now but they’ll be happy to complete the season with a .500 record. A truer test for the Phillies arrives Tuesday in the form of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who stop by to play three games.
If the Phillies clinch that series win before the Eagles draft Thursday evening, we’ll know they’re legit.
The culture is coming together, though. Kapler has gotten veterans, youngsters and stars such as Hoskins to buy in.
“I listened to Rhys’ comments after the game and I thought he summed it up beautifully,” Kapler said. “People feel confident in the clubhouse. I think it’s a loose clubhouse. Our guys are picking each other up. When one guy doesn’t get the job done, the guy behind him does.”
It may not be long before Hoskins’ teammates begin following his captipping lead. All in good time.
“I think we’re a really, really confident group right now,” Hoskins said. “There’s no panic at all no matter what the situation in the game. It’s a good place to be. Someone’s going to come through. It feels like it’s been someone different a lot. And as a team, going forward, I like our chances.”