For a minute, it appeared that the Philadelphia Phillies may waste a pretty impressive first start from Zack Wheeler. Then, Phil Gosselin saved the day.
After a scorching-hot summer camp, Gosselin got the start at DH in the second game of the year. He launched two of the four home runs for the Phillies Saturday, as they picked up their first win of the season.
Top Plays
- After completing an impressive double play with Scott Kingery to end the top of the second inning, Didi Gregorius stepped up to the plate in the home half of the frame and launched his second home run in as many days:
- Following Gregorius’ home run, Scott Kingery and Phil Gosselin both worked walks. Unfortunately for the Phillies, they weren’t able to take advantage of it. Roman Quinn popped up a bunt attempt, Andrew McCutchen flew out and Bryce Harper struck out looking.
- In the top of the fifth, the Marlins evened the score at one, with a Miguel Rojas single that plated Brian Anderson.
- The goose got loose in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Gosselin, hit a 396-foot home run to left-center field. As Phillies Nation‘s Jonny Heller noted, it was Gosselin’s first home run since April 1, 2018, when he was a member of the Cincinnati Reds:
- The Phillies really broke the game open in the bottom of the seventh inning. Following a Rhys Hoskins walk, Bryce Harper laid a perfect bunt down the third base line. J.T. Realmuto followed with a 431-foot home run off the brick wall in center field, one that elicited “Sign J.T.!!!” chants from the fans standing outside the center field gate:
- With runners on the corners and two outs in the top of the eighth, Jesus Aguilar smoked a grounder at Gregorius at shortstop, one that he fielded and threw to Scott Kingery at second base in time to end the inning:
- Gosselin came to the plate again in the ninth inning. After not homering in the turn of multiple calendars, he hit his second home run in as many tries, putting the Phillies up by the final score of 7-1:
Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance
- Zack Wheeler – In his first start as a Phillie, the 30-year-old righty turned in an excellent performance. He leaned on four double plays to limit the Marlins to just five hits and one run over seven innings.
- Caleb Smith – Though the Gregorius home run was the lone run (and hit) that Smith allowed, the lefty really struggled in his 2020 debut. Across three innings, Smith used 70 pitches, many of which came on the six walks he issued. Of the 70 pitches he threw Saturday, just 36 were strikes.
Phillies Nuggets Player of the Game: Phil Gosselin
- The 31-year-old Malvern Prep graduate is developing into a cult hero in Philadelphia. He walked in the second inning, singled in the fourth inning and then hit his first home run in over two years in the sixth inning, which put the Phillies up for good. For good measure, he secured his first multi-home run game of his career in the top of the ninth inning.
- Sunday, July 26, 2020 vs. Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park
- 1:05 p.m. ET
- TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
- Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
- Pitching matchup: José Ureña (MIA) vs. Vince Velasquez (PHI)
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