PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies’ offensive onslaught against the Angels on Friday carried into the first inning of their game on Saturday night. Kyle Schwarber led off with a double, Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos walked, and J.T. Realmuto hit a double of his own to drive in two runs. Then, Bryson Stott walked, Johan Camargo singled to score Realmuto, and Mickey Moniak singled to score Stott.
By the end of the first inning, the Phillies had a 5-0 lead. Angels starter Michael Lorenzen seemed to hit a groove as the game went on, holding the Phillies to just one hit and one walk through the next five innings. But the Phillies’ piled on two more runs in the bottom of the eighth, which proved to be enough for a 7-2 victory, their third straight win.
It wasn’t just that the Phillies were scoring; it was that they were scoring with men on base, and getting those men bases by drawing their walks. The Phillies tallied seven walks on Saturday night, which is tied for their most ever in a game this season (the last time they did it was on May 13 in Los Angeles). If they can keep up that pace, that would be a big difference-maker for them.
