After a victory Wednesday night to salvage a split with the Marlins, the Phillies welcomed the Washington Nationals to Citizens Bank Park to kick off a four-game set. Philadelphia fans let their frustrations be heard, and Kyle Schwarber responded loud and clear – a go-ahead Grand Slam eventually leading to a 9-5 victory over one division rival.
The weather was gorgeous as they prepared for another National League East foe. I don’t know if it was a lack of moisture or a feeling of turning the page, but something was in the air – something good. Wednesday’s victory felt cathartic, a tremendous sigh of relief echoing throughout the City of Brotherly Love.
The Phillies played Thursday like a flip-switched the night before, bringing effort and heart that hasn’t necessarily shone through the TV screen since before the All-Star break. Their energy jumped out from the get-go. On top of it all, rookie Weston Wilson capped the night off by hitting for the cycle. We’ll break it all down.
Weston Wilson’s exciting night
With a left-handed pitcher starting for the Nationals, Rob Thomson opted to start the 29-year-old Wilson in left field. He’s performed well in limited time this year and last, hitting .286 in his major league career coming into Thursday’s game. Wilson has shown flashes of speed and pop, having a 30-30 season under his belt at Triple-A, but on Thursday, he did a little bit of everything – and used the entire field to do so.
After a strike-out in the first, Wilson would come up again to lead off the fourth inning. He drilled the first pitch he saw to the opposite field fence. The ball caromed off the wall, and he used his speed to earn himself a triple – firing up the Philadelphia crowd in the process. Little did anyone know, he would step in the batter’s box a second time that same inning. Wilson recorded a single on a pop-up in the infield that the Nationals let fall in – his hustle paying off once again.
Wilson came up again in frame No. 7 and drilled a HR 100.8 MPH to right-center field. A buzz started in the press box – there was a chance we could see some history. But with likely just one inning remaining for the offense, would he get that opportunity? Manager Rob Thomson said post-game that he didn’t hear players talking about trying to get him another chance but that they had played like that was their goal.
After hustling and pounding the ball all night, the Phillies would send six more men to the plate in the seventh to give Wilson a guaranteed fifth at-bat. He did not disappoint. An outstanding effort from right fielder Alex Call wasn’t enough to stop Wilson from recording the first cycle ever by a Phillies rookie – the tenth in franchise history. He became the first Phillies player to record a cycle at Citizens Bank Park since David Bell did so in the first year the stadium was open – back on June 28, 2004 vs. Montreal.
Wilson received a standing ovation from everyone in attendance, including the television broadcast team who were calling the game from the stands. An amazing night for a long-time minor leaguer who seems poised to help Philadelphia on another postseason run. Thomson said during his post-game media availability that he would continue to see at-bats versus left-handed pitching “for sure.“
Hustle, Hustle, Hustle
In honor of the Olympics, the Phillies did their best relay race impression all night – and it started in the first frame of the game. Thomson said during his pregame availability when asked what it looks like when a team isn’t “pressing:”
“When guys are – ‘passing the baton’ is what we call it – they’re taking pitches, they’re walking, they’re using the field, they’re moving runners.
This is something Philadelphia’s offense did from the first inning to the last. Hustle and letting the next guy do his job was the theme of the night.
In the first, Turner hustled to beat out an infield single with one out. Thomson was asked about his hustle in that first inning, and he said “he’s healthy. It’s just a matter of him turning it loose and having the confidence that nothing else is gonna happen.” That gave Harper a chance to come up with less than two outs, and he hit a single before Alec Bohm and Nick Castellanos would hit back-to-back home runs, giving Philadelphia a 4-0 lead. It was the first time in six games Phillies pitching did not surrender a run in the first inning.
After some quicker innings, things picked up again in the fourth – starting with the aforementioned Wilson triple. Rojas saw some pitches before knocking him in with a single to left. Kyle Schwarber would single to right, but it was Rojas’ hustle that kept things interesting. He pushed himself to get from first-to-third on the hit from Schwarber, forcing a throw across the field that would end up over the third baseman’s head, allowing Kyle to follow behind Johan to second base. Turner’s double would score two runs instead of one because of Rojas’ hard nosed running.
Harper would step up next and rip a single to right, but pumped hard around the first base bag and hustle towards second as the throw came into the cut-off man standing in the infield grass. The cut-off was thrown to second base, and Schwarber was ready to scurry home to score another run. All this hustle and four runs before anyone recorded an out in the fourth inning.
Castellanos would drive in another, Realmuto and Casty both hustled on a fielder’s choice, forcing a throwing error and both men were safe. Wilson’s second hit of the inning would be the final of the frame, but the hard hustle up-and-down the lineup paid off as they extended their lead even further.
We spoke about inning No. 7, but with two outs – Philly sent five men to the plate, one of which scored on an error, and that set the stage for Wilson’s magic finish. Every Phillies starter recorded a hit, and they reached base 21 times as a team.
What’s next for the Phillies?
An exciting night can happen on any day ending in ‘y’. The key for Philadelphia will be keeping the momentum in their favor. They had a good series in LA and some solid games in Seattle and Arizona, but can they sustain what they have done the last few games?
With some health, some pitching returning to form, and anything close to what they did at the plate tonight – the Phillies will be on the other side of their rough stretch with their eyes on October.
