Comeback Kids

The Phillies followed a come from behind win on Friday night with another on Saturday night. Cole Hamels took the mound looking to rebound from a rough opening day start that saw him allow four solo home runs in five innings pitched.

Hamels was much better last night, allowing only one run on two hits in seven innings pitched to go along with seven strikeouts. He would receive a no decision in this one, as he departed the game with his team trailing 1-0. The Nationals made it 2-0 in the top of the eighth when Jeanmar Gomez took over. He allowed a leadoff double to Danny Espinosa. After a wild pitch advanced Espinosa to third, pinch hitter Clint Robinson singled him home.

The Phils would pull a similar feat in the bottom of the inning, when Chase Utley ledoff with a single and scored on a double by Ryan Howard to left field to make it 2-1. Cesar Hernandez would come in to pinch run for Howard. The next batter was Carlos Ruiz, and Chooch hit one sharply back up the middle. Ian Desmond and Espinosa got tied up, and the ball would deflect off Espinosa’s glove into the outfield. Hernandez scored, and the game was tied at two.

Aside from the eighth inning run charged to Gomez, the Phillies’ bullpen remained mostly in control. After Gomez departed, Jake Diekman, Jonathan Papelbon and Dustin McGowan combined to go 2.2 innings of shutout ball.

The Phillies would end things quickly in the bottom of the tenth, starting with a leadoff single by Ruiz. He would tag up and advance to second on a flyout by Grady Sizemore. Rule 5 pick Odubel Herrera then walked the Phils off with a double down the right field line to score Ruiz and win the game 3-2. It was Herrera’s first major league hit, and came at a perfect time.

The Phillies are now over .500 at 3-2, and will look to sweep the Nationals this afternoon at the Bank. Sean O’Sullivan makes his 2015 debut for the Phils, against Max Scherzer for Washington. First pitch 1:35.

Stats Courtesy of Phillies.com

Photo Courtesy of WashingtonPost.com