Bullpen backs up Eflin
Starter goes seven, Hoskins’ two-run homer gets the win
PHILADELPHIA – By the time the Philadelphia Phillies reached the top of the ninth inning against the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, most or all of the 38,735 fans at Citizens Bank Park were wondering if the rest of the game would unfold to a suspicious script they’ve already endured.
Specifically, the back end of the bullpen being unable to protect the lead in a tight spot.
This time, Hector Neris made sure it didn’t happen, retiring the Twins in order to preserve a 2-1 victory for starter Zach Eflin.
On a day when an infield single was the only hit the Phillies had until Rhys Hoskins reached out and poked a two-run homer to left-center field in the sixth inning, Sunday’s win was particularly satisfying, especially considering the way they battled from behind from the moment Max Kepler led off the game with a home run.
But from that point, Eflin and the Phillies bullpen pitched a shutout to lift them to 6-2.
Here’s what immediately jumped out from the win:
Closer’s job still vacant: Maybe it was the language barrier — Neris’ grasp of English is still shaky, requiring a translator for certain questions — or maybe he’s just not ready to make a claim yet.
But after pitching a perfect ninth inning, Neris would not publicly ponder the idea that maybe the open closer’s job should go to him until or unless he proves not worthy.
Instead, he sort of danced around the question.
“I just come in and try to do my job, no matter what,” Neris said. “… When
the game is like that, you try to help your team for a win.”
Asked flat-out whether he thinks the closer’s job is there for the taking, he replied: “Closer is when you win the game. If you win the game like Eflin in a close game, he’s the closer because he … gave the team a chance to come back. He kept the game close.
“I love the end of the game, I love being the man, I love pitching, I love seeing the face of my team when they win.”
Another Phils first: Bryce Harper isn’t being paid to steal bases for the Phillies, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t going to continue to pick his spots to try, like he did after drawing a two-out walk in the first inning — and just like he had done 106 times in his career coming into Sunday’s game. Harper attempted his 107th stolen base and first with the Phils and beat the throw from catcher Jason Castro.
Alas, he was stranded when Hoskins struck out.
For the record, Harper now is 76-for-107 in stolen-base attempts in his career and an efficient 1-for-1 since joining the Phillies.
Andrew Mc-CLUTCH-en: After striking out in his first two at-bats, Phillies left fielder Andrew McCutchen obviously didn’t take those failures back out onto the field with him in the fourth inning, when he fired a laser to catcher J.T. Realmuto after fielding a single by Ehire Adrianza to nail Marwin Gonzalez at the plate.
His assist kept the Phillies behind by just one run and drew a standing ovation.
In the sixth, after drawing a leadoff walk, he advanced to third on a groundout by Bryce Harper when he noticed nobody covering the bag on the
Shaking it off: Hoskins had perhaps two of the worst at-bats of his life — striking out on pitches way out of the zone — before victimizing Twins starter Jose Berrios on his third try. Even on the home run, he appeared to be fooled, reaching out and poking a ball that just kept carrying and carrying.
It was the third home run of the year for Hoskins and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
“Just really able to get the barrel to the ball,” Hoskins said. “With two strikes, that’s all you’re really trying to do. And I got it up in the air and apparently got enough of it.”
He didn’t believe it until he saw center fielder Byron Buxton come down from his leap at the wall without anything in his glove.
“I actually thought Buxton caught it because that’s kind of what Buxton does, is flying all over the place, super good athlete,” Hoskins said. “I saw him stick his foot in the wall and get his glove above the fence. I thoughtO, `h my God, did he just make that play?’ “
He didn’t, and the Phillies suddenly were in the lead.
What’s more, it was the 24th time since the start of last season that Hoskins has tied the game or put the Phillies ahead with a homer. Only two other players in the majors, Khris Davis (27) and Paul Goldschmidt (25), had more going into Sunday.
A man and a plan: The adjustment wasn’t too simple for Eflin, who had a shaky first inning even after giving up the leadoff homer. Finally, he was able to get his off-speed stuff over for strikes, specifically his sinker and change-up.
“To be able to utilize other pitches when your solid pitch isn’t there was really huge for sure,” he said.