Vince Velasquez’s start could have unraveled Tuesday night in the third inning when he walked consecutive batters to load the bases. At least that’s when the pitcher’s night would have spoiled in previous seasons. But there seems to be something different this season about Velasquez, who again pitched with poise in a 2-0 win over Miami.
He threw four pitches to Jesus Aguilar, Miami’s slugging first baseman, and ended the at-bat with a line-drive out. The inning was over, the bases were left stranded, and Velasquez’s night did not unravel. He pitched six scoreless innings and allowed just three hits and three walks.
It was the kind of start the Phillies needed, hours after they placed Bryce Harper on the injured list. They had lost seven of their last nine games and Miami’s ballpark has not been kind to them. A crucial nine-game road trip could have started to spiral with a loss.
Leave it to Velasquez, who started the season in the bullpen, to provide a steady hand. He has a 2.30 ERA this season in five starts since returning to the rotation and has been the team’s biggest surprise. And his success pitching with men on base is a big reason.
In his starts, opponents are hitting just .102 (4 for 39) with runners on. It’s the sixth-best mark among major league starters — a shade better than the Mets’ Jacob deGrom, and 168 points better than Velasquez’s career average before this season.
“He’s understanding himself ... how his pitches play,” pitching coach Caleb Cotham said. “And I think that’s all culminated in him freed up to not battle himself quite as much or say, ‘I have to have perfect mechanics to make perfect pitches.’ It’s, ‘I’m good and that’s good enough. Now I can focus on attacking hitters and playing the game.’ That’s what I see. I see a guy that’s enjoying his baseball. He’s enjoying pitching.”
The Phillies stashed Velasquez in the bullpen at the start of the season as an extra arm in case a need arose in the rotation. The expectations were not grand as Velasquez seemed to be out of rope after posting a 5.52 ERA last summer in six starts. Yet he’s more than just an extra arm.
He bettered Sandy Alcantara, who allowed just two hits in eight innings as he carved through the Phils’ lineup. But the right-hander’s one mistake was enough for Velasquez. In the fourth inning, Rhys Hoskins dragged Alcantara into a seven-pitch at-bat and ended it with a two-run, 410-foot homer.
Alcantara averaged just 3.30 pitches in the Phillies’ 25 other plate appearances. He worked quickly, struck out just four, and induced plenty of weak contact. Hoskins made him work, fouled off two straight pitches with two strikes, and then lifted the homer to left. The Phillies would not have another baserunner as their next 16 batters went down in order. But it was enough.
Velasquez was followed by Sam Coonrod, Jose Alvarado, and Hector Neris as all three relievers logged scoreless innings.
Tuesday night was Velasquez’s fourth straight start to reach the sixth inning. He retired the first two hitters — Jazz Chisholm and Miguel Rojas — before again facing Aguilar. Velasquez had thrown 89 pitches. This would be it for him. Aguilar grounded Velasquez’s fourth pitch to third base, ending the inning, and capping another excellent start for Velasquez. He stepped off the mound, pointed to the crowd, and hushed a fan. This seems like a different Velasquez. And a heckler had no chance to crack his poise.
