PHOENIX — The Phillies' bats started hot, cooled and, late in this one, worked their come-from-behind magic. For the second game in succession, a defeat appeared imminent, but a kind of resiliency reserved for winning clubs showed once again.
Down by three going into the eighth, the Phillies rallied for four runs in that inning and eventually squeezed out a 9-8, 10-inning victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks before a Wednesday matinee crowd of 18,603 at Chase Field. The win kept the Phillies' extra-inning record perfect at 5-0.
The win completed a three-game sweep of Arizona in the desert and acted as revenge after the Diamondbacks (36-45) swept the Phillies (35-45) in four games at Citizens Bank Park earlier this month.
Pinch-hitter Tyler Goeddel lifted a sacrifice fly in the 10th that scored Peter Bourjos with the game-winner. With one out against Arizona reliever Silvino Bracho, Bourjos singled and moved to third on a single from Cody Asche. Goeddel, hitting for winning pitcher Jeanmar Gomez, delivered the clincher. Lefty Brett Oberholtzer then retired the Diamondbacks in the 10th and recorded his first major-league save.
After going ahead by one in the eighth, the Phillies lost that advantage in the bottom half of the inning. That’s because Jean Segura drove in the tying run with a two-out, infield single.
After the Phillies deadlocked the game at 4-4 with single runs in the fifth and seventh, relievers Severino Gonzalez and Edubray Ramos gave up a three-spot to the Diamondbacks in the bottom of the seventh. The frame was highlighted by a two-run double from Paul Goldschmidt.
MLB
Quickly, the Phillies responded. A bases-loaded single from Andres Blanco and an error by third baseman Jake Lamb on a grounder from Obudel Herrera tied the contest. From there, Cody Asche knocked in his third run of the game on a sacrifice fly and the Phillies ultimately escaped with another comeback effort.
Starting pitching
This was a rough beginning for starter Zach Eflin, but a strong finish.
After Bourjos’ two-run homer staked the right-hander to an early lead in the first inning, Eflin gave it right back. After a double from West Chester, Pennsylvania, native Phil Gosselin and a throwing error by Maikel Franco, Lamb followed with a towering, three-run homer to dead center field.
Then, a second-inning sacrifice fly from Segura and Eflin was quickly behind by a pair after two innings. From that run in the second, Eflin settled down and retired 14 of the final 16 hitters he faced.
Trailing 4-3 at the time of his departure, Eflin allowed six hits, four runs (three earned), walked none and fanned three hitters. He threw 91 pitches, 60 for strikes.
The offense
Bourjos continued his hot bat.
Coming into Wednesday’s game, the fleet outfielder was hitting .476 (22 for 46) in contests since June 12. Quickly, he turned on a 2-1 fastball from Arizona starter Archie Bradley after Herrera walked to open the game and drove the ball into the left field bleachers for his third of the season. He finished 2 for 5 on the day.
For the game, the Phillies accumulated 17 hits and Asche led the attack with a single, double and three RBIs. The hit total for the Phillies set a season high.
With the bat, Eflin snapped a personal 0-for-5 streak and led off the fifth with a double to center field. That represented his first major-league hit. He later scored on a double from Asche that brought the Phillies within a run at 4-3.
Work in progress
If there is one consensus within the Phillies' organization, it is the great potential of Franco.
While Franco’s power remains without question and his ability to drive the ball to the gap is understood, the issue now is how to harness his untapped ability into production.
As the season progresses, Franco appears as a dichotomy with divergent results. His road numbers far exceed what Franco has been able to accomplish at Citizens Bank Park.
“You have to understand this is his first full season in the majors,” manager Pete Mackanin said. “He has the opportunity to be a very good hitter and he’s still learning.”
Franco, who hit cleanup in Wednesday’s finale, leads the Phillies in home runs, RBIs, extra-base hits and slugging percentage. Yet, the difference between road and home numbers continue to baffle.
In his last 10 road games prior to Wednesday, Franco hit .378 and reached base safely in each contest. As impressive as his numbers is his undisciplined structure.
A prime example transpired during Tuesday’s come-from-behind win over the Diamondbacks. In the ninth inning with the bases loaded and score tied, Franco managed to get ahead in the count against closer Brad Ziegler. Then working to a full count, Ziegler’s pay-off pitch was way out of the strike zone, down and away. Franco took a wild swing and missed the pitch by a wide margin.
“[Franco] has a tendency to be overaggressive,” Mackanin said. “He needs to be a more disciplined hitter, and when that happens, he will be very productive.”
Playing the hometown team
Sitting over in the Arizona dugout, Gosselin remembers those games at Citizens Bank Park.
With his home in West Chester and graduating from Malvern Prep, Gosselin grew up watching the glory years in the late 2000s powered by Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and other franchise icons. Selected by the Braves as a third baseman in the fifth round of the 2010 draft, Gosselin was eventually promoted to the major leagues in time to play in Citizens Bank Park during the final week of the 2013 season.
“It was surreal,” he said in the Diamondbacks’ clubhouse before Wednesday’s game. “I grew up with this team and then to play in a place I saw so many games was really amazing.”
On the Diamondbacks’ most recent road trip, which included a sweep at Citizens Bank Park, Gosselin had an opportunity to hang out with family and friends. Of course, the ticket demand was excessive and the 27-year-old was able to accommodate the request.
For now, Gosselin has settled in as an important member of the Diamondbacks’ bench. Coming into play Wednesday, his was 10 for 34 as a pinch-hitter. That tops the majors in both at-bats and hits. That’s a .294 average as a pinch-hitter and includes a double and three RBIs.
Up next
The Phillies now come off their 5-4 road trip with a six-game homestand. First in are the Kansas City Royals while the Atlanta Braves follow for three.
Matchups for the Royals series beginning at 7:05 Friday night have Jeremy Hellickson (5-6, 4.23 ERA) taking on Ian Kennedy (6-6, 3.96). For Saturday at 5:50 p.m., it's Aaron Nola (5-7, 4.45) against Danny Duffy (3-1, 3.24). In the finale Sunday afternoon at 1:35 p.m., it’s Vince Velasquez (6-2, 3.38) opposing Yordano Ventura (6-5, 5.00).