Segura made something out of nothing
Eleven seasons, 1,328 games, 5,195 at-bats, 1,479 hits, 712 runs scored, 492 RBIs.
Through all the years and all those stats signifying regular-season excellence, Jean Segura had never had the chance to produce anything in the postseason. No active player in major league baseball could match his record of so many regular season games without a postseason appearance.
Not until Friday in Busch Stadium, when the 32-year-old Segura finally reached the playoffs and made it an occasion worth remembering.
He had gone three trips to the plate without a hit in Game 1 of a wildcard series in St. Louis, had just swung at a breaking ball that wound up nearly a foot outside to go to a 2-2 count. It was then that Segura did what he does best, which is make something out of nothing.
By rights, pitcher Andre Pallante’s slider could have ended up almost as far outside as the pitch before. But again, Segura swung, and this time his hack squirted the ball under second baseman Tommy Edman’s glove and into right field, bringing home two runs and giving the Phillies a very unlikely lead over the host Cardinals.
Always in the moment, Segura half-leaped en route to first when he saw the ball bounce into the outfield.
“The infield was halfway (up); it was really tough to pick up the ball,” Segura told reporters afterward. “I was just really trying to put the ball in play.”
Despite another superb start by Zack Wheeler, the Cardinals were two outs away from a two-run victory in the ninth inning when closer Ryan Helsley suddenly appeared to have an onset of the yips.
He gave up a single to J.T. Realmuto, had Bryce Harper with two strikes before walking him with three straight balls, then walked Nick Castellanos and hit Alec Bohm with a pitch. That brought in the first Phillies run, and it would be all for Helsley, but it gave Segura a very dramatic chance to make up for all those lost, non-playoff seasons.
He wasn’t about to let the opportunity pass him by, even though late-afternoon shadows at Busch Stadium made it difficult to see.
“When you come from behind, the energy is going to pump it up,” Segura said. “And I just kept (steady) and it didn’t get to me. I know I got the big hit today, but tomorrow will be maybe another guy and just play the game.”
The Phillies kept playing in that ninth inning, scoring three more runs after Segura’s two-run single.
“When you put the ball in play with two strikes in the ninth inning, that is what you have to do,” interim manager Rob Thomson said of Segura’s moment. “They played the infield in to try to cut down the run or possibly a double play from balls hit firm. But the ball luckily just got by the second baseman, and we scored a couple runs there. Great at-bat. Just put the ball in play with two strikes and keep fighting.”
Apparent new closer Zach Eflin would allow a run in the bottom half, but the Phillies closed out a 6-3 Game 1 win and have Aaron Nola on the mound Saturday night in an effort to advance the club into the NLDS against Atlanta.
“We still have a long way to go,” Segura said. “The job is not finished. We win today, come back tomorrow and keep playing baseball.”