After Zack Wheeler shut down the Brewers’ offense on Monday night, Cristopher Sánchez looked to do the same on Tuesday night.
He got off to a quick start, getting 3 groundouts on just 5 pitches. He threw a normal 15 pitches to get through the 2nd and recorded his first K, thanks to Gary Sánchez.
Jared Koenig got the start for the Brewers for the 2nd straight night. It was the first time the Phillies faced the same starter in back-to-back days since Jack Sanford on July 8th and 9th of 1965. Koenig went 1.1 IP before being pulled for Colin Rea.
The Phillies threatened Rea right away. David Dahl continued his hot streak with a double off the left-center field wall with 2 outs. Edmundo Sosa pushed him to 3rd on an infield single but Johan Rojas grounded out to end the inning.
Cris Sánchez faced a threat of his own in the 3rd. Blake Perkins led off with a double down the left field line. He moved to 3rd on a fly ball to center field. He scored on a ground ball to 3rd by Andruw Monasterio. Sánchez stuck out Joey Ortiz to end the inning.
Sanchez Settles In
In the 4th, Sánchez got his 2nd strikeout of the night, getting William Contreras looking. With 1 out, Christian Yelich snuck a single through the hole between Bryson Stott and Bryce Harper. Sánchez threw a double play ball started by Alec Bohm to go around the horn and end the inning.
Meanwhile, Colin Rea was dealing. From the 3rd-5th, he only allowed 1 hit. He only struck out 1 but the Phillies hadn’t found any holes.
Sánchez had nearly identical 5th and 6th innings, allowing a single in both and nothing else.
Bryson Stott got the Phillies’ first extra-base hit since the 2nd inning with a deep double that just evaded Blake Perkins’ glove. Nick Castellanos walked immediately after. The Brewers called on left Bryan Hudson to face David Dahl. Manager Rob Thomson countered by pinch-hitting Chrisitan Pache. He struck out on 3 pitches. Edmundo Sosa flew out to end the threat.
José Ruiz entered the game for the Phillies in the 7th despite Sánchez being at only 83 pitches. That is his fewest pitches thrown since he was tagged for 5 runs in Cincinnati.
“I was going to send him back out for the 7th…but once they made the pitching change then he was going to be sitting for a long time,” manager Rob Thomson said postgame. “We have to be smart about taking care of that kid because he’s turning into something else.”
Ruiz worked around a Rhys Hoskins single, racking up 2 strikeouts in the process.
Phillies Arms Shine
Orion Kerkering came in to pitch the 8th. He retired the Brewers 1-2-3 and struck out 2.
Elvis Peguero entered for the Brewers in the 8th. Alec Bohm came to the plate looking for his first homer since May 19th and found it just over the State Farm sign in center field, tying things up a 1-1.
Lefty Matt Strahm looked to keep things tied in the 9th. A lengthy 10-pitch at bat to Contreras led the way to a leadoff single. The game paused for a while as Realmuto took a foul ball to the groin. He stayed in. Yelich quickly followed up with one of his own. A fly out but Willy Adames advanced Contreras to 3rd. Strahm buckled down and got the last 2 outs to get to the bottom of the 9th.
Trevor Megill would look to do the same for the Brew Crew. Johan Rojas started off the inning with a single up the middle. The energy in Citizens Bank Park was back up now with Kyle Schwarber at the plate. He struck out but Rojas stole 2nd to give the Phillies a runner in scoring position. JT Realmuto struck out as well, bringing up Bryce Harper, who was intentionally walked right after. Megill struck out Bohm to push things to the 10th inning.
Extra, extra!
Seranthony Dominguez shoved for the Phillies in the 10th. After a grounder advanced the go-ahead run to 3rd, Dominguez induced a grounder to Stott who relayed to Realmuto at home. JT was able to hang on for the out. The fans responded with a “JT” chant. “He’s one of the toughest guys I’ve ever been around,” Thomson said on Realmuto.
He got Joey Ortiz to pop up to end the inning. “I think I trust just about everybody in that bullpen right now,” Thomson added postgame.
Rob Thomson pinch ran Whit Merrifield at 2nd for Alec Bohm as the ghost runner. Joel Payamps got the ball for the Brewers. Stott was intentially walked to face Nick Castellanos. Castellanos responded in kind with a double in the corner to walk things off for the Phillies.
The win gives the Phillies 43 on the season. They have secured a series win over a division leader for the 1st time this year.
Photo Credit: (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
