PHILADELPHIA _ For the second straight day, Rhys Hoskins found himself at the plate in the sixth inning with the Phillies needing a big hit. He entered the at-bat in Monday night's 4-3 win against the Nationals just like he did a day earlier in the sixth-inning: hitless.
Nationals starter Anibal Sanchez, just like the opposing pitcher on Sunday, decided to throw Hoskins a curveball that broke low at the knees. And Monday's result _ in the same situation, against the same pitch _ was just the same as it was on Sunday: another Hoskins go-ahead home run.
Hoskins crushed Sanchez's curveball to left field to give the Phillies a one-run lead. He then added some late insurance with a towering leadoff homer in the eighth. For the second straight day, it was Hoskins who propelled the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies have won seven of their first nine games. A win Tuesday would give them their best start after 10 games since 2010.
Hoskins' sixth-inning blast was the 25th go-ahead homer of his career, which is the second most among all batters since he reached the majors in August 2017. The Phillies added a surplus of offense this winter and energized their lineup. But it is Hoskins, the homegrown first baseman, who could be their best clutch hitter.
Odubel Herrera hit a two-run homer in the fourth and singled in the eighth, Scott Kingery singled twice and reached base three times in his first start of the season, and Jean Segura slapped a pair of hits.
Seranthony Dominguez pitched a perfect sixth inning and flashed better velocity in an outing that was intended to build his confidence after an implosion Saturday. Adam Morgan, behind a trusted slider, pitched a 1-2-3 seventh and David Robertson handled the eighth inning.
Pat Neshek allowed a homer and a double to start the ninth but escaped to earn his first save of the season.
Vince Velasquez pitched five innings in his first start of the season and his only two runs allowed came on a homer in the second inning. Velasquez allowed four hits, struck out two, and walked none despite throwing first-pitch strikes to just five of the 18 batters he faced. Velasquez was not perfect, but he did enough in his first start to keep the Phillies alive.
The Nationals bailed him out in the fourth inning when third-base coach Bob Henley waved Ryan Zimmerman home on a ball hit to right-center. Bryce Harper retrieved it and fired to Jean Segura, who threw home to J.T. Realmuto for an easy tag of Zimmerman.
Hoskins' first homer traveled to left field just like his blast did a day earlier. On Sunday, Hoskins thought his home run had been caught at the wall. But there was no reason to question it on Monday night. He ditched his bat to the side as soon as he hit it, knowing he had blasted another go-ahead homer.
The Phillies, just like they did Sunday, left the dugout and waited to greet Hoskins, who for the second straight day came through when they needed him the most.
