PHILADELPHIA — The pivotal moments of Sunday’s 7-6 Phillies win over the Padres came down to defense. In the 11th, with a runner on third, Trea Turner made a leaping grab to rob Gary Sanchez of the go-ahead hit. Later in the same inning, Sanchez made a fantastic defensive play to rob the Phillies of a potential run right back. With no outs, Brandon Marsh hit a bunt and Sanchez, who lost his balance while fielding it, threw it over to Manny Machado in time to tag Bryson Stott out at third. Alec Bohm singled to put runners on second and first, but Nick Castellanos grounded into a double play to end the inning.
It’s not difficult to imagine how the game would’ve gone differently had one of those plays not been made. But they were made, and the game was sent into the 12th.
Reliever Jeff Hoffman gave the Phillies his outing of the season thus far, pitching two innings — in the 11th and 12th — with a runner on base without allowing a hit, a run or a walk. In the 12th, Johan Rojas hit a sacrifice bunt to move ghost runner Edmundo Sosa to third base, and Kyle Schwarber hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Sosa and win the game.
