The Philadelphia Phillies looked to stay hot against the Braves on Saturday night after winning the first two games of a four-game series.
Phillies begin to make up lost ground
For the first time in over two months, lefty ace Chris Sale started for the Atlanta Braves after spending significant time on the IL with a fractured rib. He looked like his vintage self with three strikeouts in the first inning. While Sale dominated on the mound, the Phillies still struck first thanks to a solo homer off the bat of Weston Wilson. It was Wilson's first homer of the year off a LHP.
Sale allowed a total of three hits in six innings pitched. He struck out nine Phillies on the night, throwing only 78 pitches in his first start back.
Cristopher Sánchez matched Sale on the mound. After a bad start against the Mets in Queens, Sánchez rebounded with seven innings of 1-run ball. He struck out eight Braves and didn't walk a soul. The 28 year old spread out seven hits and got great defense behind him.
Shortstop Trea Turner made several plays that helped stop the Braves' momentum throughout the game. A couple of strong throws and clean double plays continued Turner's trend of stellar defense since the calendar turned to May.
A battle ensued as both teams turned to their bullpens. The Phillies had no answer for Tyler Kinley in the 7th inning. They had a chance against Pierce Johnson in the 8th.
With one out, Bryson Stott pinch-hit for Edmundo Sosa. After a nine-pitch fight, Stott worked a walk. Brandon Marsh then pinch-hit for Weston Wilson and singled. Trea Turner got locked up on a curveball and Kyle Schwarber flew out against Dylan Lee to end the threat.
Jhoan Duran entered the 9th accompanied by lights, tarantula, and all. The human spectacle struck out two Braves in a clean inning.
The Phillies couldn't muster a 9th-inning walk-off against Raisel Iglesias, so Matt Strahm entered the game in the 10th inning to defend the dreaded ghost runner. After getting the first out, the ghost runner scored on a single by Nacho Alvarez Jr.
In the bottom of the inning, the Phillies got another chance. A HBP and a single loaded the bases with one out. The Braves called on lefty Dylan Dodd to face Brandon Marsh. It worked as Marsh looked at a cutter for the backwards K.
Postgame, Manager Rob Thomson revealed that Max Kepler wasn't available after he "banged up" his shoulder on a diving play on Friday night.
It all came down to Trea Turner. In an 0-2 count, Turner willed a groundball through the infield. Alec Bohm scored easily with Nick Castellanos in tow. The walk-off win moved the Phillies back to 6 games ahead of the New York Mets in the NL East.
Between great defense and going 3-4 at the plate with a walk, two doubles, and two steals, it was the Trea Turner show for the Phillies on Saturday night.
