It was a chilly, windy day at Citizens Bank Park as the Phillies and Giants looked to get both remaining games of their three-game series in. Game one started 30 minutes earlier than planned, the Seniors Stroll the Bases post-game promotion was canceled, and yet the Phillies gave fans a reason to stay until the final moment.
Cristopher Sánchez allowed two runs early but kept the Phillies in the ball game as Adolis García, Bryson Stott, and Justin Crawford came in clutch in the bottom of the ninth. Kyle Schwarber also hit the 350th home run of his career in the first inning, keeping the Phillies in striking position throughout the ballgame.
Heliot Ramos and Matt Chapman led off the game for the Giants with back-to-back doubles, taking a pair of sinkers from Sánchez into center and right field, respectively. Chapman’s double went off the wall in right field, allowing García to get the ball in before Ramos could score.
He would score on the next at bat, though, as Luis Arraez grounded out to second base, advancing both runners. A single from Casey Schmitt closed out the scoring for the inning as Chapman scored. Overall, Sánchez allowed three hits and one walk as the Phillies took an early deficit.
Before the start of the game, the Phillies were testing out a video banner across the stadium in preparation for a milestone moment. They didn’t need to wait long.
in the bottom of the first, with one out, Kyle Schwarber connected on a red zone cutter from Logan Webb, taking it 406 feet into right field. The home run was the 350th of Schwarber’s career, the 197th such with the Phillies.
Bryce Harper followed up with a single into right field, but the Phillies failed to score Harper to tie the game up after the first frame of action.
After three quiet innings from Sánchez, Adolis García came up to the plate to lead off the bottom of the fourth. García slipped an infield single in to reach base for the 700th base hit of his career. Brandon Marsh then followed up with a double trickling down the right field line, moving García to third.
After a strikeout from Bryson Stott, Edmundo Sosa hit a hard ground ball to third base. García went home on contact, giving third baseman Matt Chapman ample time to throw him out on the play. Sosa reached on a fielder’s choice. The Phillies would eventually load the bases on a bunt single from Justin Crawford, but would fail to plate a run on the inning.
Despite a difficult first inning, Sánchez found himself in a groove taking him deep into the contest on a limited pitch count. With two outs in the top of the seventh, Don Mattingly pulled Sánchez in favor of bringing on Orion Kerkering. Sánchez showed some frustration as he walked back towards the dugout.
“Guys are competitive and they want to stay in the game,” Mattingly said post-game. “We felt like it was the right spot, not to let anything get started. Ramos and [Chapman] have been swinging the bat really good against left handed pitching.”
Sánchez’s final line had him pitching 85 pitches through 6.2 innings, allow two runs on seven baserunners, striking out seven in the process. The electric southpaw was coming off a six-run outing in Chicago where he allowed six runs in 5.1 innings.
”That's a pretty good outing when a guy gives up two in the first and is able to come back like that and keep us in the game and keep giving us chances,” Mattingly commented.
Having found his groove once more, Sanchez’s ERA sits at 2.90 on the season.
The Giants kept the Phillies scoreless from the second through the eighth inning.
Down to their last three outs, Adolis García was due up to lead off the bottom of the ninth. He slipped a single up the middle to put the tying run on base for the Phillies. With one out, Bryson Stott slipped a sinker down the right field line scoring García.
Justin Crawford then went the opposite way on a hopper to Adames at shortstop. Crawford beat out the throw as Stott crossed the plate, sending the stadium into a frenzy as the Phillies walked it off.
The Phillies put together 10 runs across Game One. Crawford recorded three of those hits including his second career walkoff. García meanwhile tallied two while Stott’s triple and Schwarber’s home run came at critical moments for the Phillies.
“Our morale is good,” said Mattingly. “We knew we had our hands full with their guy today… and so we knew we were going to have to fight for our runs.”
They now have a chance to go for their first series sweep of the year this evening. First pitch in Game Two of today’s doubleheader is scheduled for 5:35 p.m. Tim Mayza will start in what will be a bullpen game for the Phillies.
