ATLANTA _ Rhys Hoskins crouched on the turf Tuesday night, two innings before he would deliver the decisive blow in a 5-1 win over the Braves. Hoskins took of his helmet and unstrapped his batting gloves. He had struck out for the third time. He held his hands to his head. The always unflappable Hoskins looked perturbed. It was a moment of reflection.
Hoskins sought another chance, a shot to redeem a frustrating night. His opportunity came _ with the game tied in the 10th inning with two outs and two on base _ and Hoskins did not let is pass. He was within one strike of his fourth strikeout before he crushed Jose Ramirez' 95-mph fastball to right field for a two-run double.
The Phillies finally had the runs they had sought all night. And Hoskins had his redemption. Maikel Franco followed with a two-run double of his own. The Phillies had more than enough.
Their 10th-inning rally wiped away the frustration that followed them throughout the night. The Phillies grounded into double plays to end four innings. A rally felt impossible to build. The Phillies nearly hit into double plays to end the eighth and ninth, but they beat the throws at first. Six double plays would have tied the franchise record.
Gabe Kapler used his entire bench, but still could not find a spark. Aaron Altherr started the ninth with a walk. Perhaps that would be the rally. But Franco flew out to center. Andrew Knapp then grinded out a long at-bat, but the effort proved fruitless and he grounded the 12th pitch he saw to the shortstop. Jorge Alfaro, the final reserve, struck out as a pinch-hitter.
Odubel Herrera singled in a run in the third and made a leaping catch against the wall to end the fifth. His performance came a game after he was apologizing for making a pair of miscues. It was another example of why the Phillies are willing to live with Herrera.
Nick Pivetta allowed one run on five hits in five innings. He struck out two and walked none. The right-hander has a 2.49 ERA through his first four starts of the season. He relied on his fastball, which touched 97 mph. Pivetta threw it for 64 percent of his pitches. He mixed in his curveball for weak contact as he continues to make progress with the secondary pitch.
The Phillies would have to rely on their bullpen, and Hoby Milner, Yacksel Rios, and Adam Morgan recorded the next eight outs. Kapler then called on Luis Garcia to relieve Morgan with two outs in the eighth and a runner on first. That is when things got shaky.
Dansby Swanson singled to left field to put runners on first and second. Garcia, in search of his final out, fired a wild pitch that zipped past Knapp, smacked off the backstop, and shot back to the pitcher's mound. The Phillies, with a base open after the runners advanced, elected to walk Ryan Flaherty. Garcia had the bases loaded. Trouble was surely near. But the right-hander recovered. He forced Kurt Suzuki to ground out and end the rally.
A half inning earlier, Cesar Hernandez led off with the eighth with a walk. But that rally would have little luck. Carlos Santana struck out and Herrera grounded out. And then came Hoskins. He worked a 3-0 count. Just a walk would have been enough. But Hoskins struck out on three straight pitches. That's when he lowered himself to the ground. Two innings later, he was standing on second base with his hands pointing to the dugout. Hoskins got his redemption.
