Derek Hill provides a spark at the plate and with his defense in Phillies’ 4-2 win over the Tigers
Hill stole two bases in the third inning, delivered an RBI single in the fourth, and had a highlight reel worthy diving catch to rob Zach McKinstry of an extra-base hit.
DETROIT — As he crossed the infield to return to the Tigers dugout, Zach McKinstry took off his helmet and tipped it toward Derek Hill.
There wasn’t much else McKinstry could do. Not after watching Hill cover tons of ground in center field at a dead sprint. And without slowing down, without taking his eye off the ball, Hill left his feet and snagged the ball in midair, certainly robbing McKinstry of extra bases.
Hill contributed on both sides of the ball in the Phillies’ 4-2 win over Detroit on Saturday night. Cristopher Sánchez gave up 10 hits but held the Tigers to two runs in his final audition for the starting job at Tuesday’s All-Star Game.
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Hill, starting in place of Justin Crawford who was out with a sore left knee, also manufactured the Phillies’ first run. In the third inning, he reached on a throwing error from Delco native Kevin McGonigle, stole second base, and then stole third. It put him in position to score when Trea Turner hit a sacrifice fly to center field.
Hill is quick on his feet — he has a 98th percentile sprint speed — but it still marked the first time in his career that the outfielder had multiple stolen bases in a game, let alone an inning.
He also delivered an RBI single in the fourth, contributing to a three-run rally against Tigers starter Casey Mize. The Tigers drafted Hill in the first round in 2014, and he spent the first part of his career with the organization until being designated for assignment in 2022.
Catcher J.T. Realmuto’s batting average had dipped below .200 entering Saturday’s game after some extended struggles at the plate. But he showed some promising results with a big double to the left field corner that drove in a pair of runs.
In his final start before the All-Star Game, Sánchez gave up a lot of contact. Of the Tigers’ 10 hits off the lefty, only one was for extra bases when Eduardo Valencia hit a solo homer in the fifth. Sánchez’s defense helped him out, too. In addition to Hill’s catch, the infield turned three double plays.
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He struck out seven batters, six on his changeup.
A day after his move to pull Aaron Nola after five innings and 84 pitches backfired, interim manager Don Mattingly let Sánchez begin the eighth with his pitch count at 97. But Sánchez wasn’t able to record an out, putting the first two Tigers on with a walk and a single.
Jonathan Bowlan took over and hit a batter to load the bases. He then got Spencer Torkelson to ground into a double play that conceded a run, but overall helped him limit the damage. Bowlan walked the next batter and induced another groundout to end the inning.
He passed the baton to closer Jhoan Duran, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 24th save.
Ryan Howard was a three-time All-Star and champion of the 2006 Home Run Derby in his legendary run with the Phillies. With the baseball world coming together in Philadelphia for the 96th All-Star Game, Howard sat down with Phillies Extra to discuss his All-Star memories, his expectations for a Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park, his outlook on the Phillies' season, Kyle Schwarber's chances of breaking his single-season franchise mark for homers, and more. Watch here.
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