Phillies put up 14 runs, coast to stress-free victory over Giants originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
There’s apparently no truth to the rumor that, after the second inning concluded Saturday night, Rob Thomson left the home dugout at Citizens Bank Park and went to his office to watch his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs face off against the rival Bruins in Game 7 of their NHL first-round playoff game.
But he probably could have. . .
Even with the start of the ballgame delayed an hour and 10 minutes by rain, by the time the puck dropped at TD Garden, the Phillies had already chased Giants starter Keaton Winn, batted around and scored five runs in the first and then added four more in the second.
Considering that the Phillies starter was lefthander Ranger Suarez, the reigning National League Pitcher of the Month, the Phillies had to feel pretty, pretty, pretty good about their chances at that point.
Of course, strange things can happen in sports. There was no guarantee that San Francisco wouldn’t mount a furious rally and score an epic come-from-behind win. Heck, nobody expected 18-to-1 longshot Mystik Dan to come from the back of the pack to win the Kentucky Derby.
Not this time. The Phillies coasted to a stress-free 14-3 victory. They’ve won four straight and 15 of their last 19 games. And when the standings were posted at the end of business, the top of the NL East Standings looked like this:
W L PCT GB Phillies 23 11 .676 -- Braves 20 11 .645 1.5The Phillies felt comfortable enough to pinch-hit for Alec Bohm, who had already extended his career-high hitting streak to 17 games, in the third inning. It was announced as a precautionary move due to right hip tightness, a discomfort caused by slipping on an awkward swing in his previous at bat. He’s expected to be back in the lineup Sunday.
“I’m good. I’ve played through much worse,” Bohm said postgame. “It’s nothing I’m concerned about. With the (wet field) conditions and the score, I understand that there was no need (to stay in the game).”
No Trea Turner, no problem. Well, at least for one night. Over the next six weeks there will surely be times when his unavailability due to a strained left hamstring will be glaring. In their first game without him this season, though, they simply outscored his absence.
It was their most runs in a game since scoring 19 against the Tigers on July 1 last year. Every Phillies starter had at least one hit. Each scored at least one run except…