Not bad for a left fielder: Phillies 7, Diamondbacks 3

This has been a good week for Vince Velasquez. After 3+ seasons of maddening inconsistency and general disappointment, as of two weeks ago, most Phillies fans were content to have the starter (turned reliever, turned starter again because they didn’t have any other viable options to start games) fired into the sun. And then came Friday’s game where he was pressed into service as a left fielder, and made two outstanding plays.

It wouldn’t have surprised anyone if Velasquez built off that performance by delivering one of those 3-4 innings/4-6 run starts that have been so common over the past few years. Instead, he pitched seven strong innings to lead the Phillies to a 7-3 win over the Diamondbacks.

Velasquez’s night was made easier by his offense. Scott Kingery got them started with a first inning home run.

After that, the Phillies spent the rest of the game methodically adding runs. Adam Haseley chipped in two hits, as well as a great catch in left field. Jean Segura had two RBIs, and they got two hits from Bryce Harper who showed off a new batting stance as well as a new look.

Hopefully, the Phillies won’t be placed in a situation where Velasquez is forced to play in the outfield again. (Although, that was pretty spectacular.) But if he can continue to pitch like he did on Monday night, I think I’d be okay with seeing him get a few more starts.