Categories: 2018 Recaps

Kapler’s decisions lead to nerve-wracking first win

Get used to this.

Nick Pivetta started Friday’s game against the Braves. He pitched four innings, then was lifted for the bullpen. Nearly all of the bullpen.

Jake Thompson was the last pitcher left as Drew Hutchison closed out the Braves, 5-4, in 11 innings. The Phillies nearly lost the lead completely in the eighth inning, but thankfully J.P. Crawford threw a strike relay throw to stop Peter Bourjos from scoring on a Dansby Swanson double. A few innings later, Carlos Santana lifted a sacrifice fly that scored Crawford, putting the Phils up for good.

Santana added his first Phillies’ home run, driving in three on the night, while Rhys Hoskins belted his first home run of 2018 in the second inning. Scott Kingery added his first two major league hits, both singles, in the win.

Gabe Kapler used eight of his nine relievers Friday, which is just incredible. But multiple pitchers threw less than one inning, so chances are they’ll be available Saturday in the final game of the three-game set in Atlanta. That’s good, because they will certainly be used.

Tim Malcolm

Tim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.