Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott are integral bats for the Philadelphia Phillies’ future success this season. On Sunday night, they showed they are capable of adding length to a top heavy lineup helping the Phillies earn a much needed win.
The pair ignited one of the bigger offensive explosions this season in an 11-4 homestand closing win avoiding a sweep against the playoff contending New York Yankees thanks to timely hitting with runners in scoring position by the two infielders, something the team has struggled to do most of the season, especially as of late.
“We talked a little about that before the game with what we have been doing with runners in scoring position,” interim manager Don Mattingly said postgame.
“I think you just have to grind at-bats up and down the lineup, force guys to make pitchers … There's obviously pressure on hitters, but there’s pressure on pitchers to make pitches, too. I feel like over the last couple of games we weren’t getting that hit at the right time.”
But Bohm and Stott have been two hitters in the lineup that have consistently delivered with those timely hits.
Bohm is a .300 hitter with runners in scoring position this season while Stott is hitting over .320 in the situation. Crucial for a team that has World Series aspirations but needs other contributors outside of the top of the order trio in Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper.
The third baseman answered the call in the third inning. After Stott’s missile solo homer in the second inning made it a 2-0 game after Turner scored on a Schwarber sacrifice fly in the first, Yankees manager Aaron Boone opted to intentionally walk Brandon Marsh to load the bases with two outs to get to Bohm.
On the ninth pitch of the at-bat, Bohm lined a pitch into the gap in left-centerfield past the outstretched diving left fielder Max Schuemann to clear the bases giving the Phillies a 5-0 lead.
“It’s happened a lot to me in my career, but that time it kind of pissed me off,” Bohm said to the media after the game.
“I feel like I’m the type of player that throughout most of my career you haven’t really wanted to come up in those situations. So, I guess I was tired of people thinking that.”
It was the only hit of the night for Bohm, but it broke the game open and set the tone.
Stott followed suit, driving home Bohm from second on a single to right field giving the Phillies a commanding 6-0 lead which was more than enough for Cristopher Sanchez.
The left-handed ace fired four consecutive scoreless innings to start his outing before giving up three runs in the fifth. Sanchez picked up his 13th win of the season with another quality start.
In the sixth inning, it was Stott delivering again..The second baseman delivered with a bases clearing, three-run double of his own making it an 11-3 Phillies lead..
The 28-year-old finished his night with five runs batted in, matching a career-high he set nearly four years to the day during his rookie season on July 25, 2022.
“We kind of know and feel that the big hit has been missing. To be able to get a few tonight was good to see,” Stott said postgame. “We know what we are capable of.”
With the win, the Phillies closed out their nine-game homestand with a 3-6 mark against the Mets, Dodgers and Yankees.
The offense scored one run or less in five of those games while being shutout in the series opener against the Yankees on Friday.
However, with eight of the nine starters in the lineup recording at least a hit on Sunday, it provided some hope for Mattingly that his lineup could deliver on a more consistent basis moving forward.
“You still know that it’s there. The fact that track record always helps. We know guys have had success in the past and are able to do what we did tonight.”
