Phil Gosselin comes off bench to ignite seven-run inning in Phillies’ rout of Red Sox

It took a week of scarcely making an out at the plate in exhibition games and training-camp scrimmages for Phil Gosselin to force his way on to the Phillies’ opening-day roster.

After all that, you didn’t think he was going to relinquish his spot, did you?

The best underdog story in baseball got even better Tuesday night at Fenway Park. Gosselin came off the bench in the sixth inning and jumpstarted a seven-run, two-out rally that propelled the Phillies to their fourth consecutive victory, a 13-6 shellacking of the beleaguered Boston Red Sox, who lost their ninth game in a row.

“He’s a sparkplug for us,” Bryce Harper said of Gosselin, the pride of West Chester and Malvern Prep. “All year long he’s done a great job of coming off the bench in any situation and really just putting the barrel on the ball.”

The sixth inning was an offensive tsunami that revealed the full capacity of the Phillies’ lineup. It lasted for nearly 40 minutes against three Red Sox relievers, who combined to throw 45 pitches. Twelve batters went to the plate and eight in a row reached base -- all with two out.

There were four singles, two doubles, one walk, and a three-run home run for Harper, who is putting up numbers that rival the best stretch of his MVP season of 2015 with the Washington Nationals.

But it all started with a well-traveled 31-year-old infielder who would be making an even stronger case to be in the lineup every day if he wasn’t so valuable in his role off the bench.

With the Phillies trailing, 4-2, after only a four-inning start from Zach Eflin, and facing Red Sox left-hander Josh Taylor, manager Joe Girardi called on lefty-mashing Gosselin to hit for struggling Scott Kingery, who was starting at second base while Jean Segura rested a balky right hamstring. Gosselin jumped on the first pitch, a 95-mph fastball, and lined an RBI double off the center-field wall.

Here’s what followed: A game-tying single by Roman Quinn, who stole second and scored on a single by Andrew McCutchen, who also stole second; a walk of Rhys Hoskins, who snapped a 127-plate-appearance home run drought one inning earlier; Harper’s three-run homer; a double by J.T. Realmuto; an RBI single by Didi Gregorius; a single by Alec Bohm.

With that, the Phillies turned a two-run deficit into a five-run lead.

“I wanted to guarantee [Gosselin] an at-bat off a left-hander, and when you look at the back end of their bullpen, it’s fairly right-handed,” Girardi said. “That was kind of the decision. They didn’t have anybody up. I guaranteed him an at-bat against a left-hander, and he ended up having two big hits.”

Indeed, for good measure -- and to prove that he can hit right-handers, too -- Gosselin led off the seventh inning with a solo homer against Red Sox reliever Colten Brewer. Jay Bruce tacked on a three-run shot in the eighth, as the Phillies achieved a season high with 16 hits and matched their highest scoring output of the season.

For the most part, Harper (1.186 OPS) and Realmuto (eight homers) have carried the Phillies’ offense. Harper, in particular, has sizzled, reaching base in all 18 games.

In the best 60-game stretch of his MVP season, Harper slashed .371/.488/.780 with 21 home runs, 52 RBIs, and more walks (46) than strikeouts (42). Thus far in this 60-game season, he’s slashing .367/.486/.700 with five homers, 15 RBIs, 12 walks, and 11 strikeouts.

But in defeating the Red Sox, Gosselin was, as Reggie Jackson might call him, the straw that stirred the drink. Gosselin’s teammates already have a nickname for him: Barrels.

“We call him Barrels because the guy doesn’t miss,” Harper said. “He never really gets fooled and just really gets up there and just tries to put the barrel on the ball and good things have happened.”

In 11 games so far this season, Gosselin is 12-for-28 (.429) with three doubles and three home runs. He has muscled his way into the lineup against left-handed pitchers by going 9-for-19 (.474) against them, and a case could be made that he should play regularly against righties, too.

But Segura is expected to be ready to return any day now, according to Girardi. And besides, Gosselin is 12-for-36 (.333) as a pinch-hitter since the beginning of last season.

If this was the NBA, Gosselin would be Aaron McKie.

Gosselin’s secret to being successful off the bench?

“I think you’ve got to want to do it,” he said. “Most guys tend to complain because they want to play every day, which I do, too. But you’ve got to make the most of it. You’ve got to embrace it.”

Said Girardi: “We talk about it all the time. I’d love to get him as many opportunities as I can. But it is a nice weapon to have when you could guarantee that he’s getting an at-bat against a left-hander, because he’s extremely dangerous right now against left-handers.”

With Red Sox lefty Kyle Hart scheduled to start Wednesday’s series finale, it’s a good bet that Girardi will find a spot -- in front of the Green Monster in left field, perhaps? -- for Barrels.

“I imagine I’ll be in there in some capacity,” Gosselin said, “whether it’s infield or outfield, DH, whatever it may be.”

Wherever it is, a big hit or two might follow.