After facing off against the Braves and the Reds in two intense series at home, the Phillies were in desperate need of a fresh start.
Enter the Washington Nationals, offering just that in the first two games of their three-game matchup.
While the Phillies haven't hit their stride yet, they managed to snag their first winning streak of the season and evened out their record with a .500 standing after a solid 5-2 victory against the Nationals on Saturday.
Both wins were anchored by stellar pitching. Aaron Nola and the bullpen kicked things off on Friday with a dominant two-hit shutout. Then, on Saturday, Ranger Suárez delivered a strong performance, making only one costly mistake with a 91 mph sinker that Joey Gallo turned into a two-run homer in the third inning.
Suárez (1-0) kept his pitch count low, allowing just four hits with no walks and four strikeouts over six innings. Jeff Hoffman took over for 1⅔ innings, with one walk and one strikeout, before Gregory Soto closed out the eighth inning with a flyout.
Manager Rob Thomson praised Hoffman and Strahm for their versatility, likening them to Swiss army knives for their ability to handle various situations on the mound.
The ninth inning saw José Alvarado take the mound, securing the win with a groundout, a forceout, and a strikeout, although he did run his pitch count up to 28 in the process.
The Phillies' lineup, however, struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities, going 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position. But there were bright spots, like J.T. Realmuto, who made the Nationals pay for intentionally walking Bryce Harper in the third inning by hitting a three-run homer off Jake Irvin into the Phillies bullpen.
Realmuto, hitting .333/.379/.556 through seven games, attributes his success to some swing adjustments he made, which have helped him stay consistent at the plate.
Thomson's faith in Realmuto's hitting abilities led him to move Realmuto to the cleanup spot this season, a move that has paid off so far.
Saturday's game also saw seven Phillies' hitters notch at least one hit, with Trea Turner and Realmuto going 2-for-4 each. Nick Castellanos broke an 0-for-18 streak with a solid single in the seventh, while Brandon Marsh showcased his clutch hitting with a ninth-inning single to center that scored Bryson Stott.
With a chance to sweep the series on Sunday afternoon, the Phillies are looking to build on their newfound momentum and continue their winning ways.
Login