The Phillies evened their series with the Colorado Rockies after a 4-3 win in come-from-behind fashion on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park. They scratched across two runs in the fourth inning, got a Kyle Schwarber home run in the seventh to tie it, and won it in the eighth on a single by Edmundo Sosa. The Phils have won four of their last six to improve to 9-12 in the young season.
Nola with a “Rockie” Start
Aaron Nola spotted the Colorado Rockies a lead when he allowed a first-inning three-run home run by Ryan McMahon. It came with two outs after Kris Bryant and Charlie Blackmon each singled to center. However, Nola would shut down the Rockies after that. Allowing just four men to reach base (one hit and three walks) over the next six innings.
“I felt good in the first inning,” said Nola, who has a 3.46 ERA in 13 innings over his last two starts, and the Phils have won both games. “McMahon put a pretty good swing on a fastball when I was behind in the count and kind of a couple of bloop hits before that. I tried to wipe that as best as I could and stick with my plan.”
Don’t Call It a Comeback
It gave his teammates a chance to claw their way back into it. In the fourth, they loaded the bases on an error by McMahon, a single and a hit batter. With one out and Jake Cave batting, Nick Castellanos – who lived on the error – danced off third base and caused Rockies’ starter Noah Davis, who was making only his third appearance in a Major League game, to commit a balk. Castellanos scored, and Brandon Marsh and J.T. Realmuto moved up to third and second, respectively. Cave battled through seven pitches. Finally hitting one off the end of the bat, down the third base line that McMahon fielded but had no play on. Marsh scored to make it 3-2.
With one out in the seventh, Schwarber drilled Dinelson Lamet’s first pitch into the seat into right.
“Any time you’re able to tie the game up and get momentum on our side that’s a plus,” said Schwarber, about his fifth-round tripper of the season. “Those are ones you look forward to.”
Realmuto doubled off the wall in left-center field to begin the eighth, then with one out, he stole third. Sosa came to the plate with two outs and popped the first pitch he saw from Brad Hand into leftfield. It landed just in front of the diving Jurickson Profar. An inning before made a sensational sliding catch along the line to rob Marsh.
Edmundo Sosa!
After coming through at the plate, Sosa made an excellent play in the field when he leaped to snag a sharply hit liner by C.J. Cron
The Phillies acquired Sosa last July 30th, mainly because of his defense, manager Rob Thomson said, but he worked a lot with hitting coach Kevin Long and everyone on the team loves the energy he brings.
“The way I learned how to play baseball in Panama is the way I play,” said Sosa through interpreter Diego Ettedgui. “You have to bring energy every day, you have to help your team, you have to pump them up so that’s the way I play.”
Game three of the series is Saturday afternoon at 3:05.
Rock Hoffman has been covering sports in the Philadelphia region for over 30 years. He’s been the co-host of a radio show – SportsPage – on the Delaware Valley Radio Network (WRDV.org) in the time. He’s reported on games involving all the Philadelphia teams at the profession and collegiate levels. During his career he’s provided coverage for a Super Bowl, an All-Star Game, NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament games as well NFL, MLB and NHL playoff games. Additionally, he’s the College Football Editor for Football Stories Magazine (FootballStories.com).
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