The series against the White Sox was not a strong one for the Phillies’ starting rotation. All three of their starters struggled, including Aaron Nola on Sunday. Fortunately, the Phillies’ lineup – particularly Brandon Marsh – did not struggle. For the second time in three days, the offense was able to overcome shaky pitching and lead the team to a win, this time by a score of 9-6.
The Phillies got the scoring started in the first inning with consecutive doubles against the Sox’s opening pitcher Tyler Gilbert. But the lead was short lived. Nola pitched out of a two-on jam in the first, but he did not escape unscathed in the second. Thanks to three hits, a walk, and a sacrifice fly, the Sox took a 2-1 lead.
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The Sox similarly did not enjoy their lead for very long. In the bottom of the second, Rafael Marchan sent a ball over the fence in right center to make it 3-2.
Once again, Nola gave it right back. For the second straight inning, he walked the leadoff hitter, and for the second straight inning, it proved costly. Tristan Peters hit a double to tie it up at 3.
The Phillies immediately went back on top when Brandon Marsh led off the bottom of the third with a home run. Marsh – who has homered in three straight games – is as hot a hitter as there is in baseball right now. With two hits in the game, he improved his league leading average to .338. And if that wasn’t enough, he also made a leaping catch at the fence. (Vote early and often!)
That lead actually lasted an entire inning with both teams going in order in the fourth. But in the fifth, Nola was back on his BS, once again walking the leadoff hitter. Apparently not satisfied with just one walk, Nola walked the next batter as well. Then for some reason, on a day when they were hitting well against a struggling pitcher, the Sox chose to give up an out with a sacrifice bunt.
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While the Phillies got the out, manager Don Mattingly had seen enough and pulled Nola in favor of Tim Mayza. Randal Grichuk greeted Mayza with a two-run single, putting the Sox back in front 5-4. Mayza was fortunate to escape further damage thanks to a great defensive play by Bryson Stott.
Reliever Tim Davis entered the game for the White Sox, and on a day when a lot of pitchers struggled, he was no exception. Bryce Harper started the inning with a single, Marsh walked, and then Alec Bohm hit a double to tie it up at five. Bryson Stott followed with a single to give the Phillies a 6-5 lead. After an Adolis Garcia strikeout, Justin Crawford hit a ground ball that scored a run but thanks to some questionable baserunning by Bohm, ended with a double play.
The Phillies’ pitching staff cleaned things up after that, but only barely. Jose Alvarado and Orion Kerkering both allowed two runners in their innings of work but were able to strand them. Sox reliever Bryan Hudson was not so fortunate. In the sixth, he walked two batters and they came around to score on singles by Marsh and Bohm to give the Phillies a 9-5 lead.
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With a four-run lead, Mattingly turned to Jonathan Bowlan to retire the final six batters of the game, and he did so capably, only allowing one hit which was promptly erased by a game-ending double play.
It’s nice to see that the offense is capable of carrying the team to a series win. With Cristopher Sanchez scheduled to start on Monday, they probably won’t have to do as much work as they did on Sunday. On the other hand, if they want to give the ace a little bit of extra run support, I don’t think anyone would complain.
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