Phillies end skid behind Falter and 22 hits from the offense originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
PHOENIX – Hey, how ‘bout a thumbs-up for Bailey Falter.
The guy has spent the season riding up and down the Northeast Extension between Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley, a big-leaguer one day, a minor-leaguer the next.
He has been recalled by the big club seven times this season. That’s just the way it is when you’re the sixth starter on a five-man staff.
Sore elbow. Come on down, Bailey.
Someone needs an extra day. You know the way, Bailey.
Doubleheader. Yo, Bailey.
Falter filled in for injured Zack Wheeler last week and beat the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was back on the hill Wednesday night and delivered another win for a Phillies team that desperately needed one.
In the best of his 11 big-league starts, the lanky, 25-year-old left-hander pitched 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball and did not walk a batter as the Phillies hammered the Arizona Diamondbacks, 18-2, under the big top in downtown Phoenix.
Falter, who scattered five hits, including a solo homer, was probably in his last inning of work when he left the game with one out in the seventh because of right groin tightness. The exit was precautionary, and after the game, Falter said he was fine and would not miss time.
With 32 games (now 31) to go in the season, this was pretty close to a must win for the Phillies. They had lost three straight. The wild-card race was tightening with San Diego and Milwaukee both winning earlier in the day. The Phillies starting pitching had not been good the previous three days. The bullpen needed some rest.
Falter came through as the Phillies exorcised some desert demons. They had lost seven in a row in Arizona dating to 2019, including a pair of ugly defeats Monday and Tuesday night when starting pitchers Ranger Suarez and Aaron Nola were lit up for a total of 14 runs.
What did it feel like to come through for a team in need?
“Absolutely amazing,” Falter said. “We needed the W tonight and that’s what we did. The bats were fantastic and I did my job, gave us a chance to win.”
Pitching with family and friends in the stands from his home state of California, Falter used mostly a fastball-curveball mix. His fastball is not an overpowering pitch. He relies on the ability to command it above barrels. He had a good one Wednesday night. The pitch topped at 94 mph and he consistently threw first-pitch strikes.
The Phillies are 4-0 in Falter’s last four…