PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies are on a quest to prove that they can win in September. They got off to an uninspired start — tallying losses on Sept. 2, 3 and 4 — but the players insist that this team is different. On Tuesday, they put meaning behinds those words, gutting out a 3-2 win against the Marlins to start a six-game homestand.
This was not a shutdown win, by any means. Marlins starter Jesús Luzardo was held the Phillies to just four hits and two earned runs. The Marlins tied it up, 2-2, in the bottom of the eighth, thanks to a sac fly from Brian Anderson off of Phillies reliever Connor Brogdon. The Phillies relief corps, in general, looked taxed; David Robertson, who is one of their more dominant arms, struggled to get through his outing in the ninth inning, allowing two walks and a single.
But just enough broke the Phillies’ way to earn them a 3-2 win. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Phillies challenged a call at home plate that went their way. In the top of the ninth, J.T. Realmuto gifted Robertson an extra out, after firing a throw to second base to prevent Luke Williams from stealing the bag. And in the bottom of the ninth, with runners on first and second, Jean Segura hit a walk off single to give his team their first win of September.
Nola bounces back
Aaron Nola entered his start on Tuesday night with a chance to change the narrative. His last start was one of the worst of his eight-year career. After throwing a complete game on Aug. 25 against the Reds, he only pitched four innings on Aug. 30 in Arizona, allowing eight earned runs on 10 hits. Some wondered whether September Nola was coming early.
But he promptly silenced both his doubters and the Marlins lineup on Tuesday. He allowed only four hits and one earned run, with two walks. Most importantly, he gave the Phillies length. Nola was the first Phillies’ starter to go six innings or more since Bailey Falter started on Aug. 31. He exited his outing with two outs in the seventh inning.
Initially, it looked like Nola was headed towards another four inning-outing. In the top of the fourth, he allowed a double, a single, a forecourt and another single to put runners on first and second with one out. But he was able to deftly work his way out of it, inducing a pop out and an lineout to end the inning.
In the top of the seventh, Nola threw his 10th strikeout of the game, retiring Marlins catcher Nick Fortes. It was Nola’s 200th strikeout of the season, marking his fourth 200th-strikeout season of his career. He is one of only four big league pitchers to reach 200 strikeouts this season (Gerrit Cole, Corbin Burnes and Carlos Rodon are the other three).
The Phillies finally catch a break
Coming off of a six roadtrip in the which they went 1-5, the Phillies were due for something to go their way. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the baseball Gods smiled upon them. Edmundo Sosa doubled to lead off the inning, and then advanced to third on a wild pitch by Marlins starter Jesús Luzardo.
Rhys Hoskins walked to put a runner on first, and Alec Bohm hit a sac fly to left field. Sosa ran towards the bag and was initially called out. But the Phillies challenged the call, and upon closer examination, the umpires realized Fortes’ foot was out in front of the plate before the throw from left field was made.
The play was a violation of the home plate collision rule. The call was overturned and the Phillies got a 2-1 lead.
Sosa hits his first home run of 2022
It was a good day for Sosa, who made his first start since Aug. 31. He went (X-for-X) and hit his first home run of the season — a solo shot to left field that traveled 405 feet in the bottom of the third inning. As if that weren’t enough, Sosa made a nice grab, with runners on first on second and two outs, to rob Marlins centerfielder J.J. Bleday of a hit, and the Marlins of a run.
