PHILADELPHIA _ After mystifying the Phillies all afternoon, Jose Berrios was just a pitch away Sunday from completing yet another scoreless inning. The Twins right-hander needed to find just one more strike to put away Rhys Hoskins for the final out of the sixth.
But it is that final strike, as Berrios soon learned, that Hoskins usually makes the hardest for a pitcher to earn. Hoskins worked a full count, fouled off three straight pitches, and then clubbed Berrios' curveball for a two-run homer to left center in the Phillies' 2-1 win.
The Phillies had their first runs. They had finally cracked Berrios and it was because Hoskins refused to break. He has a .963 career OPS with a full count and Sunday's blast was his 11th homer with a full count, which is the fourth-most among all batters since Hoskins reached the majors in 2017.
The victory completed a series win over the Twins and the Phillies have either won or tied their first three series for the first time since 2011.
The homer came in time for Zach Eflin, who pitched seven strong innings, to earn the win. Eflin did not allow a run after Max Kepler greeted him in the first inning with a leadoff homer. The right-hander struck out five, walked none, and allowed six hits. He had 95 pitches after the sixth inning, but Gabe Kapler allowed him to pitch the seventh. Eflin needed just 10 pitches to retire the three batters he faced.
David Robertson and Adam Morgan combined to pitch the eighth inning and Hector Neris earned the save. The Phillies much-maligned bullpen held down the lead.
