Phillies 4, Rockies 3: A true team win

The first twenty games of the 2023 regular season have been quite the roller coaster ride. The Phillies had scored fifteen runs in a game, scored nine in the first of another, and had been shutout twice in their last three games entering Friday night.

Aaron Nola took the ball for the second game of the four game series against the Rockies, opposing rookie Noah Davis. Unfortunately, Nols did not get off to a hot start.

After back-to-back singles by Kris Bryant and Charlie Blackmon, Nola reared back and sat down C.J. Cron swinging. With two outs, Ryan McMahon stepped to the dish and made Nola pay for a fastball that ran over the plate. McMahon blasted a three run home run, putting the Phillies in a deficit early.

Not much else happened through the next few innings, until J.T. Realmuto got hit by a pitch in the fourth. Realmuto told the ump he was hit, in which the umpire proceeded to believe him, and then award Realmuto first base, loading the bases. Bud Black took exception to this, arguing the call, resulting in his ejection.

In his second career MLB start, Noah Davis balked in a run, as Nick Castellanos’s antics got the best of the Rockies righty.

A Jake Cave infield single would score the second run, pulling the Phillies closer as Nola continued to settle in.

Jumping ahead to the bottom of the seventh, where the Phillies still trailed a run. Aaron Nola has just finished his day after seven innings. He was nearly untouchable the second- through-seventh, allowing just one hit and no runs.

Kyle Schwarber stepped in with one out in the seventh, and quickly made Dinelson Lamet pay.

With the game now tied, Rob Thomson opted to use his best weapons, deploying Seranthony Dominguez for the eighth. Dominguez allowed a walk, but made quick work of the Rockies otherwise.

With six outs remaining before extra innings, the Phillies got to work in the home half of the eighth. J.T. Realmuto led off the inning with a double and would eventually take third, putting the go ahead run 90 feet away for Edmundo Sosa.

With two outs in the inning, Sosa performed, knocking in J.T. and putting the Phillies ahead 4-3.

That would be all the insurance the Phillies needed, as Jose Alvarado worked a perfect ninth inning securing the victory.

WP: Seranthony Dominguez

S: Jose Alvarado

Next game: Saturday, April 22nd 3:05pm at Citizens Bank Park