Rhys Hoskins hits 8th homer, but Phillies fall to Marlins
Tommy Joseph also went deep, with a three-run blast.
When Rhys Hoskins bats, it is an event, and that is something that has not been said of a Phillies hitter in quite some time. He batted in the second inning of a 9-8 Phillies' loss and clobbered his eighth homer in 15 career games. He batted in the third inning with the bases loaded and cracked a two-run single to center that tied the game at 3-3.
Tommy Joseph, the man who Hoskins could ultimately supplant at first base, followed with a three-run homer to deep left. Nick Williams added a two-run double in the fourth inning. It was a beautiful afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.
And a five-run Phillies' lead lasted all of two innings.
"We didn't see good pitching today," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said.
Jake Thompson and Jesen Therrien, two pitchers who have spent the majority of their seasons at triple A, squandered the lead. Miami tied it on an inside-the-park homer by J.T. Realmuto, the second one surrendered by the Phillies in six days. Luis Garcia allowed two singles and a sacrifice fly to lose it in the eighth inning.
But squint a little and imagine a Phillies lineup with Hoskins entrenched in the middle, surrounded by Odubel Herrera and Aaron Altherr. The Phillies have missed their two most productive players this season — for both offensive and defensive reasons. Hoskins has managed to conceal a bit of that with his barrage.
Hoskins became the third player in major-league history to collect eight homers in his first 15 career games. The others: Carlos Delgado and Trevor Story. It is a most impressive start to the 24-year-old's tenure.
But Hoskins is still a rookie, a veteran of two weeks, and this game is hard. He batted in the fourth with a runner on second and struck out looking. He came to the plate in the sixth with runners at first and second. He whiffed at a slider for strike three. He grounded out to begin the ninth inning.
"I like him in the middle of that lineup," Mackanin said. "It's good to see Tommy Joseph get three hits. Hopefully he has that competitive spirit right now. He's swinging the bat better."
Thompson, who was demoted after the game, allowed five runs; one of them should have never scored. In the first inning, Williams misplayed one routine fly ball and lost another in the sun. The second ball, hit to the warning track, was catchable. It bounced on the dirt near Williams and over the wall for a run-scoring double.
"That first inning was weird," Williams said. "I've played here in days games before but it's never been right on top of me like that. That really aggravated me, especially with a run scoring. It's just something that happens. I feel bad about it."
Williams is not a centerfielder. The Phillies are without their two trusted gloves in center — Herrera and Altherr — and their absence is noticeable. Williams played deep against Marcell Ozuna, who singled up the middle in the eighth. Christian Yelich did not even consider stopping at second. He tested Williams' ability to charge and fire an accurate throw. It was a smart extra base taken that mattered; Yelich scored the decisive run on a sacrifice fly. Williams, later, called it a "learning experience."
"He took advantage of it," Mackanin said of Yelich.
Two innings earlier, Realmuto hit a ball inches from the blue seats. It struck the metal railing above the left-center wall, well beyond Williams' reach, and ricocheted toward center field. Hyun Soo Kim, the rightfielder, did not bother to aid Williams. Realmuto circled the bases.
"Altherr is not available," Mackanin said. "Odubel is not available. [Daniel] Nava's not available. Hoskins hasn't played much left field. Kim is predominantly a leftfielder. So it kind of caught him by surprise. He should have backed it up."
These Phillies, at least, have discovered extraordinary methods of defeat.
