PHILADELPHIA — It’s almost certainly a coincidence, but, well, let’s just mention it off the top anyway: Since Kyle Schwarber blew off a bunch of steam a few nights ago, the previously stalled Phillies offense hasn’t ceased chugging along.
Eight runs, nine hits Monday night.
Ten runs, 11 hits Tuesday night.
Seven runs, 12 hits Wednesday night.
The blitz has come in all forms and involved almost everyone. In a 7-3 victory Wednesday night over the unwitting Colorado Rockies, even seldom-used backup catcher Garrett Stubbs got into the act, with two hits, including an RBI triple, in his first start since April 15.
Make it 25 runs in 24 offensive innings and three straight wins since Schwarber slammed his bat, spiked his helmet, and exploded on national television over home-plate umpire Angel Hernandez’s hard-to-comprehend strike zone in a 1-0 loss Sunday night against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The latest onslaught began in a 49-degree chill with Odúbel Herrera’s fifth career leadoff homer. But it was really fueled by opportunistic, aggressive baserunning. The Phillies scored at least five runs — and could easily have had two more — that were tied to seizing an extra 90 feet on the bases.
In the second inning, Johan Camargo went first to third on a soft, one-out single to center field by Stubbs, who boldly tagged up and went to second on Herrera’s shallow sacrifice fly to center that scored Camargo easily for a 2-0 lead.
After the Rockies tied it up at 2-2, Bryce Harper led off the third inning with a standup triple to straightaway center field and scored on a groundout. With two out, Alec Bohm singled to right, took off with contact, and scored from first on Didi Gregorius’ double to center field for a 4-2 edge.
In the seventh inning, Harper, who finished with three hits, and Nick Castellanos advanced on a passed ball and both wound up scoring, Harper on Bohm’s infield single and Castellanos on a sacrifice fly. The extra runs helped stretch the lead and make life easier on the bullpen.
The Phillies talked in spring training about taking an extra base whenever possible without being reckless. They have been mostly successful, if not particularly daring.
Entering play Wednesday night, they advanced more than one base on a single or more than two on a double only 40% of the time, below the league average of 44%. But they also took 17 bases on fly balls, passed balls, and wild pitches, slightly above league average (16), and made only three outs on the bases.
It’s another dimension of an offense that the Phillies believe is capable of more than merely slugging homers.
Taking the lead
With Jean Segura getting a night off, manager Joe Girardi needed a fill-in leadoff hitter. He settled on Herrera, who batted atop the order 63 times last season, more often than any Phillies hitter.
Herrera delivered, too, belting his fifth career leadoff homer on a heater from spot-starting Rockies right-hander Ryan Feltner. It marked Herrera’s second homer in as many games. He hit a two-run shot in the sixth inning Tuesday night.
Girardi likely will stick with Segura in the leadoff spot for a while. But it’s also possible Herrera gets additional opportunities there, especially against right-handed pitching. Entering the game, Phillies leadoff hitters were 12-for-75 (.160) with a .241 on-base percentage.
“He can be pretty energizing, you know?” Girardi said of Herrera. “And at times he’s done a really good job up there. He’s familiar with it.”
Roger, Ranger
Although it wasn’t his sharpest performance ever, Ranger Suárez gave the Phillies their fourth consecutive solid start.
Suárez gave up two runs in the third inning and a sixth-inning solo homer to C.J. Cron, who is 8-for-22 in six games against the Phillies this season. But he also threw 97 pitches and finished six innings, his longest start after a truncated spring training. He has a 3.45 ERA in his last three starts and a 4.42 mark overall.
In the last four games, starters Aaron Nola, Kyle Gibson, Zach Eflin, and Suárez have combined to allow six runs in 24 ⅔ innings (2.19 ERA).
Up next
Zack Wheeler, 0-3 with an 8.53 ERA through three starts after not pitching in a major-league spring-training game, will start the series finale at 1:05 p.m. Thursday (NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94-WIP). He will face Rockies lefty Austin Gomber (1-1, 4.20).
