Cheers for (almost) everybody! Phillies 12, Pirates 3

One night after Rhys Hoskins’ hitting slump carried over into the field, many reasonable people called for him to sit out a few games. Instead, he was moved to the cleanup spot in the lineup. For one night at least, the move worked out. Hoskins provided an early boost to the Phillies offense and they cruised to a 12-3 win over the Pirates.

Hoskins had extra base hits in his first two at bats, helping the Phillies get off to an early lead which they never relinquished. He wasn’t the only one with a big night, as the Phillies received contributions from throughout the lineup. Cesar Hernandez had three hits and three RBI, while Corey Dickerson and J.T. Realmuto chipped in with home runs.

This was the second straight start in which Vince Velasquez was provided a lot of run support. Thankfully, this outing went better than the previous one. He gave up just two runs in five innings, and with only 75 pitches thrown, it felt like he could have gone longer. After the disaster of his last start, I can understand letting him leave on a high note.

The rest of the game was capably handled by the fringes of the bullpen. Austin Davis gave up a run in the sixth, but that was the extent of the damage.

The Phillies’ offense gave the fans plenty to cheer about on Wednesday. Pretty much every player received positive reinforcement from the paying customers. There was one prominent exception, and I’m sure you can guess who that was.

After an off day, the Phillies will welcome the Mets for a weekend series. Can Hoskins build upon his big night? Will the fans continue to have reason to cheer for the home team? Or will Hoskins and the Phillies revert to their inconsistent, struggling ways, and we’ll once again hear those all-too-familiar boos ring through Citizens Bank Park?