The Phillies opened up the week celebrating their home opener as they hosted the Colorado Rockies.
Game one
The Phillies’ offense was quiet through six innings as the Rockies’ starter, German Marquez, threw six scoreless innings, allowing just four hits. It wasn’t until the Phillies got to the Rockies’ bullpen that the offense exploded. A 2-run double by Edmundo Sosa in the bottom of the 7th gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead. Kyle Schwarber would follow up with a 2-run blast to center field, expanding the lead 4-1. Max Kepler would hit his first homer as a Phillie, which was followed by another homerun by Nick Castellanos, his first of the season. The Phillies would take the win in the home opener 6-1 with the bullpen shutting the door after a great start by Christopher Sanchez. Sanchez, to me, has the potential to be a second-best arm.
Game two
The second game of the series was played on Wednesday after both teams had an off day after the series opener. Zach Wheeler took the mound for his second start of the season and would have another fantastic outing. Wheeler threw seven innings, allowing just one run on three hits. The big number was his 10 strikeouts he racked up against the Rockies lineup. Wheeler dominated on the mound, and the offense did the rest. The Phillies would collect 12 hits on the day and score five runs, giving them a 5-1 victory over the Rockies in game two of the series. Both Trea Turner and Edmundo Sosa had three hits, with Sosa continuing his hit streak to the season.
Game three
The Phillies set out to sweep their home opening series, but many fans held their breath as Taijuan Walker would take the ball for the series finale. Walker is trying to bounce back after a tough 2024 season and a shaky spring training. Walker is in the rotation for now while we await Ranger Suarez’s return from the injured list. Walker ended up having one of his best starts in a Phillies uniform this game. Six innings, three hits, ZERO runs, and Walker looked very good. Although it was against the Rockies, this could be huge for Walker’s confidence moving forward. As for the offense, they took care of business. Harper had a RBI double in the 5th, Schwarber had a homer in the 7th, and Brandon Marsh would walk home a run to lead the Phillies to a 3-1 win and a series sweep.
The Phillies did exactly what they should have done against a team like the Rockies. Swept them while also putting on display how great this pitching rotation is, along with how potent this lineup could be. It was a great warmup for the upcoming series against the defending champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The champs come to town
It might’ve only been the third series of the season, but going up against a team like the Dodgers this early can make or break this season for the Phillies. Everyone believes the Dodgers are the team to beat in the NL, but people forget how good this Phillies team is and can be. Taking a series from the undefeated Dodgers (9-0 coming into the series) could also give the Phillies a wave of momentum to ride for the rest of April and into May. The series was going to have a playoff-type atmosphere, and boy, did the series deliver.
Game one
Dodgers started Yoshinobu Yamamoto, with the Phillies going with Jesus Luzardo in his first home start with the team. This game would be a classic pitchers ‘ duel, with both guys throwing well. Trea Turner got the Phillies on the board first after a steal of third resulted in an overthrow by Dodgers catcher Will Smith. Turner scored easily, and the Phillies took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Luzardo would pitch seven scoreless innings, giving up just two hits and striking out eight. Luzardo looked great again and showed flashes of his powerful arm and how good he can be in this rotation.
The Phillies held onto a 1-0 into the 7th inning, where Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh would both drive in important insurance runs to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead. Tommy Edman would hit a 2-run homer in the 9th for the Dodgers, but it was too little too late as the Phillies would go into win 3-2 and take game one of the series. A win that wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for JT Realmuto making two huge throws in the 8th and 9th to catch Shohei Ohtani and Chris Taylor stealing and result in two major outs for the Phillies. That’s the benefit of having the best throwing catcher in the game on your team.
Game two
This game featured Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki taking the mound for the Dodgers and veteran Aaron Nola throwing for the Phils. Sasaki has struggled in his first two starts with his command, and it was clear that early on, the Phillies knew that would be the case. The Phillies would score in the first following a ground out by Alec Bohm, giving them an early 1-0 lead. Just for them to give it back immediately because Aaron Nola allowed another home run in the early innings of his start. It’s getting to be a common theme for Nola, with how many home runs he gives up. A 2-run shot for Enrique Hernandez gave the Dodgers a 2-1 lead. Michael Conforto would add another homer in the 6th off Nola, and the Dodgers would go on to win 3-1. A quiet night from the Phillies’ bats as they only collected four hits in the loss. The series is tied 1-1, with the rubber match set for Sunday afternoon.
Game three
The third and final game of the series featured a pitching matchup of Tyler Glasnow vs Christopher Sanchez. I was very eager to see Sanchez against this Dodgers lineup because I do believe Sanchez will be the second-best pitcher this season. Sanchez would be able to control the entire Dodgers lineup besides Teoscar Hernandez. In the first inning, Hernandez hit a homer, giving the Dodgers an early 2-0 lead.
The third inning is when the Phillies would get to work. Harper singled to drive in a run, Max Kepler walked to drive in a run, and the bases were now loaded for Nick Castellanos in a 2-2 game. The Dodgers turned to the bullpen in just the third inning and brought in Alex Vesia. Vesia’s first pitch to Castellanos was crushed to left field, a grand slam giving the Phillies a 6-2 lead in the 3rd. Sanchez would pitch well until Teoscar Hernandez would come up and homer again for his second of the day. In the 5th, he came up again, this time hitting a double and cutting the Phillies down 6-4. All four runs for the Dodgers have been driven in by Teoscar Hernandez up to this point.
Jordan Romano would come in to pitch in the 7th and would have another shaky outing. He gave up an RBI double to Mookie Betts, walked a batter, and then was taken out of the game for Orion Kerkering. Kerkering tried to work out of the jam but gave up a sac fly to Teoscar Hernandez (his 5th RBI of the day) and a 1-run double to Will Smith. Romano would be charged with three earned runs, with his ERA now being 15.75 (not good).
Now down 7-,6 the Phillies would respond in the bottom of the 7th. A single by Stott drove in the tying run, and who else but Edmundo Sosa would drive in the winning run after grounding to third but beating out the double play with his speed. Sosa has been great for the Phillies, hitting .550 so far this season. Alvarado would shut the door in the 9th, and the Phillies would win the game 8-7, taking the series 2-1 from the defending World Series Champions.
Looking ahead
Following a great series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Phillies proved they are capable of competing with the Dodgers and could give them trouble come playoff time. These are the two most complete teams in the NL, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they met in the playoffs at some point.
As for this upcoming week, the Phillies will be on the road in Atlanta for the three-game series against the Braves and then on the road again to face the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend. The Phillies need to win at least 2/3 from the Braves while they are struggling (1-8 to start the year).
If this team can stay hot, it would be a huge boost for them to have a strong April to give them an early lead in the NL East.
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