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Phoenix is a wonderful place. In January. I happened to be there for New Year’s this year, and it was a very pleasant 60 degrees most of the time and the people we were staying with constantly fretted that we’d freeze and please put on a jacket.
Today is not January, and it was a hellscapish 108 earlier today. Why is there a city there.
Nick Pivetta followed up Jake Arrieta’s gem from earlier today with one of his own, pitching six scoreless against the Diamondbacks. He allowed five hits and a walk and struck out six. Pivetta matched Zack Greinke pitch for pitch, arguably out-pitching the Firebacks’ ace, who allowed seven runners including a home run in seven innings.
Speaking of home runs, Nick Williams came through with a solo shot in the third to put the Phils on top.
Rocket. Launched. pic.twitter.com/YIwTqCF2pv
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) August 8, 2018
Boom.
The game was scoreless from then until the eighth, when Cesar Hernandez led off with... something.
That day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run. So I ran to first base. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd run to second base. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd just run to third. And I figured, since I run this far, maybe I'd just run home. pic.twitter.com/VfmlPaSUBy
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) August 8, 2018
A straight up Little League Home Run. Hernandez should be credited with a single and advancing on two errors, but as of now, it’s just the two errors. We’ll see what the home town scorer decides, but whoooooooooooooooooooooo and now it’s 2-0.
The Phillies would tack on three more against old friend Jake Diekman, Hoskins and Santana walked and a Williams single loaded the bases, allowing Asdrubal Cabrera to drive in two. Santana would then score on a Jorge Alfaro single, pushing it to 5-0.
The Sundevils would get two back in the bottom half against Aaron Loup, who couldn’t complete the inning and gave everyone watching flashbacks from this morning; but Victor Arano came in to clean up, and Pat Neshek pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.
Win. Ring that damn bell.
#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/kZXl7lRes1
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) August 8, 2018
With the win, the Phils improve to 64-49, and maintain a 1.5 game lead in the NL East. The rubber match in this three-game series in BTUsville is tomorrow at 3:40PM Eastern, with the Phils sending Vince Velasquez against the Heatsnakes’ Patrick Corbin. As Pivetta said on the postgame, “We’re putting the team ahead of ourselves, just working our asses off here. Vince is gonna do great tomorrow.”
Good morning, folks.