The Phillies’ bats sure enjoyed an 80-degree April afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phils piled up a season-high 18 hits Saturday and just about held on for an 11-10 win over the Marlins. Even many of their outs were loud.
Taijuan Walker started for the Phillies. He didn’t have great command out of the gates but used his splitter well and escaped a first-and-third, no-out jam in the third inning.
The Phillies had several near misses and hard-hit balls early against Miami’s Cal Quantrill, including J.T. Realmuto’s second-inning knock off the left field wall.
They waited until the third to post a crooked number. Johan Rojas doubled to lead off the inning, darted to third base on Bryson Stott’s grounder to shortstop and cruised home on Trea Turner’s line-drive hit to left.
Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber’s walks loaded the bases for Nick Castellanos with one out. Harper’s walked seven times over the past five games. Castellanos produced a sac fly and Max Kepler delivered a two-RBI double to put the Phils up 4-0.
Miami got a run back in the fourth inning, but the Phillies’ offense kept the pressure on and Quantrill couldn’t complete the fourth.
After a Bohm single, Rojas lay down a bunt. Quantrill fielded the ball and considered going to second base, but he decided against it and Rojas wound up sprinting through first without a throw. Stott ripped a double to right-center that scored Bohm, and Rojas was (successfully) hot on his heels. Turner followed with a double that gave the Phillies a 7-1 lead.
Both the bottom and top of the Phillies’ lineup were tremendous Saturday. Rojas and Stott picked up RBI hits in the fifth. Bohm recorded his first multi-hit game of April and Rojas notched his first three-hit game of the season. Stott was 3 for 5 with three RBIs and Turner went 4 for 5 with two RBIs.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson pulled Walker after just 56 pitches, turning to Matt Strahm for the fifth inning. Walker’s final line was four innings, one run, one hit, three walks and two strikeouts.
He dealt with shoulder stiffness throughout the day.
“Just couldn’t really get extended too much on the glove side, especially in that fourth inning with my cutter and four-seamer into the lefties,” Walker said. “Couldn’t really get it there all the way. And we had that other long inning the next one.
“It kind of sucks because I feel like I was in a pretty good groove, getting a lot of ground balls. My splitter was working really well today. It just sucks having the bullpen have to cover for me.”
Walker’s slated to start next Friday against the Cubs and expected he’d be ready to pitch.
Carlos Hernandez had a rough sixth inning and Jordan Romano seriously struggled in the ninth, conceding six runs. The game suddenly became tense and Jose Alvarado was needed for the final out.
“I felt great out there, actually,” Romano said. “That’s the best my arm has felt in a long time. … I felt confident, honestly, in all my pitches. I don’t know. They were seeing it really well today. Everything I threw in there, it felt like they were pretty comfortable with it and obviously putting pretty good swings on it.
“But again, not exactly sure. Obviously, when I’m up in the count, need to make better pitches — 1-2, 0-2. But I still felt great out there, just got crushed.”
Romano said he’d review the video and look into whether he was tipping his pitches.
“I’ve got a lot of confidence in him,” Thomson said. “He’s got a great track record. As long as the stuff is good, you’ve got to believe in him.”
Alvarado ultimately sealed the deal. Miami’s Xavier Edwards lined out to right field, cementing the Phillies’ third win in a row. They’re now 13-8 on the season.
Sunday’s series finale will start at 1:35 p.m. The pitching matchup is Jesus Luzardo (2-0, 2.31 ERA) vs. Connor Gillispie (0-2, 6.63 ERA).
Castellanos gets a DH day
Castellanos served as the Phillies’ designated hitter Saturday. Schwarber played left field and Kepler slid over to right.
Thomson has been cautious with Castellanos since he exited the Phillies’ win Thursday over the Giants because of left hip flexor tightness.
“We’re just trying to keep him off his feet for a day, limit as much running as we can. … Schwarbs is happy he gets to play (the field),” Thomson said.
Brandon Marsh remained out with a right knee injury. According to Thomson pregame, Marsh was feeling “a little bit better” and likely would’ve been available in an emergency scenario.
Another step for Painter
Andrew Painter made his second rehab start Friday night for Single A Clearwater, throwing three scoreless innings. Thomson was pleased with his outing.
“The velocity was good, he threw strikes, the secondary pitches were good. … Forty-nine pitches. Three hits, four strikeouts, no walks. It’s good,” Thomson said.
Painter is scheduled to start next Thursday in Clearwater. He’ll again be around 50 pitches.
Thomson said he envisions Painter hitting “120, 130” innings this season between the minors and majors, but “we don’t really know the number.”
Ranger Suarez is set to continue his rehab progression with a start next Tuesday for Triple A Lehigh Valley. He was in Philadelphia on Saturday for a bullpen session.
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