The Phillies lost the first two outs of Saturday’s sixth inning at third base, seeming to set the stage for another squandered rally after a night of missed chances.
They had already blown a three-run lead in an eventual 7-5 win over the Rockies in Denver and were challenged — just like they were on Friday — to tack on more.
But then Rhys Hoskins crushed a low fastball, drove it to right field for a three-run homer, and emphatically pumped his fist at the dugout as he rounded first base at Coors Field. For the Phillies, it was a relief. Saturday night would not be like Friday night.
It was Hoskins’ second homer of the game as his two-run homer in the third put the Phillies ahead by a run. He drove in five of the team’s seven runs. Hoskins’ last multi-homer game was on Sept. 2, 2019.
He homered three times in the first two games this weekend and four times in his last four games. Hoskins seems to be heating up and the Phillies’ lineup — which went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position in Friday’s loss — could use some fire.
His homer in the third highlighted a four-run inning that put the Phillies up 4-1. But the Rockies scored three times in the fifth off Aaron Nola to tie the game. Hoskins gave Nola the lead again an inning later and Nola responded by giving the Phillies seven innings.
He wasn’t dominant Saturday the way he was last Sunday when he threw a shutout against St. Louis. But Nola was efficient. He threw just eight pitches in the third, 11 pitches in the fourth, 11 pitches in the sixth and 10 pitches in the seventh. Nola didn’t have his best stuff Saturday, but pushed himself through seven innings and helped Joe Girardi find rest for his bullpen.
The win brings the Phillies back to .500 at 10-10 and gives them a chance to win the series on Sunday afternoon. It was also a welcome sight to see them respond for a late win on the road, where they have won just two of their eight games this season. They have five more road games before returning to South Philly on Friday. The Phillies have to survive the trip. A win like Saturday helps them do that.
Connor Brogdon allowed a run in the eighth and Hector Neris pitched the ninth. It was a chance for the bullpen to recover after blowing leads in three straight games. Didi Gregorius, who has been troubled defensively this season, made a nice play in the fourth to start a double play, and Andrew McCutchen, who has batted leadoff in each of his 17 starts this season, reached base three times.
The Phillies remain committed to McCutchen atop the lineup even though he’s batting just .164 this season. But his on-base percentage increased Saturday from .296 to .316. McCutchen is off to a slow start, but there’s really not an obvious candidate to replace him in the leadoff spot while Jean Segura is on the disabled list.
So the Phillies will hope a night like Saturday can spark McCutchen.
“I think you could put Joyce there,” Girardi said before Saturday’s game of Matt Joyce, who has batted leadoff when starting for McCutchen in left field. “After that, I’m not sure where you go. I could toy around with some different people, obviously, against right-handers and left-handers, but those are probably the two best candidates for us. I thought Cutch’s at-bats were a little bit better Friday, so hopefully it gets him going. But we need to get him going.”
Nick Maton, who started for the fifth straight game, started the sixth with a double off Jhoulys Chacin. Maton went 2 for 3 for his third straight multi-hit game. Roman Quinn walked to bring up Nola, but his sacrifice-bunt attempt was fielded by the catcher and thrown to third to get Maton. Quinn, for the second time this season, was thrown out trying to steal third base. Quinn stole third safely on Friday night, but the decision still seemed too risky.
And it almost crushed a rally. But McCutchen walked on four pitches and Hoskins got a pitch that he would not miss. Saturday night no longer felt like Friday night.
