D-backs don’t match up against Phils’ lineup depth
PHILADELPHIA — Under the weight of postseason baseball, little things become big things in a hurry.
For the late-game delirium of Tuesday’s 10-0 decimation of the Diamondbacks in Game 2 of the NLCS, matters were far less in hand for the Phillies when Bryson Stott stepped into the box in the sixth inning.
The Phillies led 3-0. Fans were stirred up by Kyle Schwarber’s second homer of the game to lead off the inning. But Trea Turner’s walk left a man on first with two outs when Arizona manager Torey Lovullo went to get starting pitcher Merrill Kelly.
In came lefty Joe Mantiply to face Stott. But Stott, 2-for-3 career against Mantiply and hitting two points higher against lefties that righties at .282 this season, jumped on a 1-0 sinker and singled to center.
“I think the lineup is lefty-righty, lefty-righty. It’s hard to play matchups, especially with the new rule,” Stott said. “If it’s a lefty, you still want to take your same at-bat and give it to the next guy, and I was able to sneak one through the middle there and get on for J.T. and Nick, and they came through.”
With Stott on board, the Diamondbacks’ problems only Mantiplied.
J.T. Realmuto roped a two-run double to left-center. An intentional walk to Nick Castellanos was followed by a Brandon Marsh double just inside the bag at third, another clutch leftyon-lefty hit for a team that hit .256 against southpaws.
“I thought that Joe Mantiply has been throwing the ball real good,” Lovullo explained. “It’s a great matchup. All the information that I have and everything that’s showing me statistically that Joe is going to get under a barrel, and we’re going to get back in the dugout down 3-0.”
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Four Phillies are finalists for the Gold Glove Award, Rawlings and Major League Baseball announced Wednesday.
Second baseman Bryson Stott and catcher J.T. Realmuto are among the three finalists at their positions. Zack Wheeler and Taijuan Walker make up two of the three finalists at pitcher for the National League.
The 30 managers and up to six coaches from each team make up 75% of the vote for the Gold Glove Award. They could not vote for players on their own team. The remaining 25% comes from the SABR Defensive Index. Winners will be announced Nov. 5.
Stott, who moved to second base full time this season after the Phillies signed Trea Turner to play shortstop, accumulated 16 outs above average, which ranked seventh in baseball among all players regardless of position. He is joined as a second base finalist by the Cubs’ Nico Hoerner and the Padres’ Ha-Seong Kim.
Realmuto won the NL Gold Glove at catcher last season, the second of his career. The Diamondbacks’ Gabriel Moreno and the Giants’ Patrick Bailey are the other two finalists at catcher.