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I have to be honest: after Friday’s night depressing, embarrassing loss, I decided I needed a bit of a break. I put the Phillies on, but I did things around my apartment. I cleaned. Vacuumed. I didn’t want to get too invested in case they seriously blew it like yesterday.
Did it work? You tell me. The Phillies won 4-1, and it all started in the top of the fourth inning. That’s when Rhys Hoskins literally blasted a ball into another universe.
He's officially back. pic.twitter.com/9H8nRDUSzt
— Joe Giglio (@JoeGiglioSports) June 16, 2018
I mean holy shit, that’s a well-hit ball. Good lord. In the fifth, Andrew Knapp belted a homer to straight away center, which sent the Phillies ahead 2-1.
There were some things that worked, like Gabe Kapler taking a gamble in the fifth inning and pulling Eflin — when he’d been pitching well — to pinch hit Maikel Franco. Franco was intentionally walked to load the bases, which led to a walk from J.P. Crawford to score the Phillies’ third run, and a bloop single from Cesar Hernandez
And then there were things that worked in spite of themselves.
Seranthony Dominguez will not pitch the ninth. Aaron Altherr enters as a pinch hitter. Hector Neris warming in the bullpen. Hmm.
— Matt Breen (@matt_breen) June 16, 2018
Well I can’t understand why Kapler had Dominguez in the 8th and Neris in the 9th today if Seranthony was only going one inning. That made little sense. However, it worked, the bullpen was great, Eflin was great again, and Hoskins owns. Good win.
— John Stolnis (@JohnStolnis) June 17, 2018
There’s still a lot to talk about with this team, and a lot to figure out. But right now, on the heels of a win, the bad stuff can wait a day or two. I’m going to sit on my porch in the lovely evening breeze and watch Rhys Hoskins’ home run over and over again. Tonight, that’s all I need.