Bohm’s hot streak produces career-best six RBI game
PHILADELPHIA » De facto first baseman Alec Bohm is on a hot streak, the veteran of four seasons drilling a pair of home runs Saturday in a runaway 19-4 win over the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park.
It was the most runs scored by the Phillies this season, and it rinsed away the bad taste from a 2-1 setback Friday night.
How bad was it for the Nats? Left fielder Ildemaro Vargas pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning, the seventh hurler on the bump for the day.
Bohn did his damage against four of those pitchers, carving out his third career multiple home run game, as well as his fourth game with multiple hits in the last five outings. Bohm conceded it likely was the best offensive game of his MLB career.
“It’s probably up there, for sure,” Bohm said. “Days like today where everybody is swinging the bats well and there’s a lot of smiles in the dugout are always fun.”
Bohm singled Bryce Harper, who doubled, home to knot the game in the second inning and delivered a three-run shot to highlight a six-run third inning chasing Nats starter MacKenzie Gore and staking the Phillies to a 7-1 lead. Bohm added a two-run blast in the fourth inning with Josh Harrison (double) aboard to make it 11-1.
In addition to going 4-for-5 with six RBIs, Bohm made a diving stop of a smash by Jeimer Candelario to retire him in the fourth.
However, in the fifth inning, Bohm strayed so far off the bag attempting to field a Cadelario grounder there was no one on first for second baseman Harrison to put out.
“I wish I could have made the other one, too, to keep another run off the board,” Bohm said. “That’s kind of what we’re trying to do out there .. Trying to produce runs on offense and take them off the board on defense.”
Bohm’s six ribbies tied a career-high. He has 11 home runs this season. Bohm is 11-for-21 (.524) in his last five games after stumbling around at 3-for-24 (.125) in his previous six starts.
After drilling 34 hits in June, the most by a Phillie since 2017, Nick Castellanos went 3-for-4 with a double, a two-run home run just over the outstretched glove of centerfielder Derek Hill in the fourth inning and three RBIs to start July.
Castellanos was a triple short of the cycle. “I think it was a great bounce back game,” Castellanos said. “I think the tone was set before the game started. Everybody does a great job of planning and preparing every day.”
Kyle Schwarber added a grand slam, his second with the Phils and the sixth of his career. It is his team-leading 22nd homer, among the NL leaders. It gave the Phils a 19-4 run in the fifth.
Social media reports that Bryce Harper’s car was stolen from Citizens Bank Park Friday night were erroneous, according to manager Rob Thomson.
“Everything is fine,” Thomson said. “That’s not a true story. Everything is fine.”
Harper was shown on video on various social media sites speaking on his cell phone outside the ballpark, and according to some eyewitnesses, to authorities about a family vehicle involved in an accident.
People on the streets requested autographs of Harper, prompting security to escort him back to the ballpark.
NOTES » Zack Wheeler (7-4) got the win for the Phillies, although he’s had better stuff. Wheeler gave up seven hits, including a home run to Dominic Smith, and four earned runs over five innings. He registered six punchouts and one walk. … Ranger Suarez (22, 3.18 ERA) opposes Nats’ Trevor Williams (4-4, 4.28) Sunday at CBP. … Following the getaway Sunday, the Phillies play six games in six days in Florida, starting with a threegame series against the Tampa Bay Rays. … On the Schwarber slam, Harrison scored his 500th career run. … Speaking of which, MLB changed the error charged to Harrison on June 8 to a hit. Quite the delay, right? That raised Wheeler’s ERA from 3.68 to 3.79. … Saturday was the 17th time the Phillies scored 19 or more runs, and the first since 2018. The Phillies tied a season-high with 18 hits.