The Philadelphia Phillies expect third baseman Alec Bohm back in action when they attempt to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the host San Francisco Giants on Wednesday afternoon.
The team’s top RBI man with 47, Bohm wasn’t in the lineup Tuesday, one day after his two errors contributed to an 8-4 Giants win.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson had some explaining to do before his team’s 1-0, 10-inning defeat, but he insisted it was not punitive.
“Trust me … I promise I’m telling you the truth that this was a planned thing,” Thomson said. “I decided a few days ago to give him this day off, but I didn’t tell him until after the game (Monday).”
Thomson added that Bohm, who has started 52 of the Phillies’ 56 games, will be back on the field for the series finale, when the Giants are scheduled to start left-hander Kyle Harrison (4-1, 3.90 ERA).
The right-handed-hitting Bohm’s absence was felt in Tuesday’s loss. Giants manager Bob Melvin used left-handed pitchers to start a bullpen game against a Phillies lineup that featured five lefty hitters, including Kody Clemens, who was subbing at third base.
Lefties Erik Miller and Taylor Rogers combined for three innings of one-hit ball, striking out four, to get the ball rolling on a seven-hit performance by five regular relievers.
“With all of their (lefty hitters) in there, we wanted to get our (lefty pitchers) at the beginning when their lefties probably would have to hit,” Melvin explained. “That leaves you a little naked at the end, but you hopefully have a couple of runs by then.”
The Phillies needed just four batters to put up two runs on Harrison when he made his major league debut last August in Philadelphia. That fourth hitter – lefty Bryce Harper — belted the rookie’s 16th big-league pitch for a two-run homer.
Those were the only runs Harrison allowed in 3 1/3 innings of what turned into a 4-3 loss. He did not get a decision.
A product of San Francisco Bay Area sports powerhouse De La Salle High, Harrison has gone unbeaten in his last nine starts with a 3-0 record and 3.67 ERA. The Giants have won the last eight times he’s pitched, including all five times in May.
The 22-year-old has never lost at home in his two-year career, going 1-0 with a 3.50 ERA in nine starts.
Seeking to end a season-worst, three-game losing streak, the Phillies are slated to turn to their own lefty, Cristopher Sanchez (2-3, 3.15), in the matinee affair.
The 27-year-old suffered his first loss in four May starts last Friday in Colorado despite allowing just one run in 5 1/3 innings in a 3-2 defeat. He’s gone 3-1 with a 2.52 ERA this month.
The fourth-year major leaguer has faced the Giants only in relief in his career, going 0-0 with a 1.93 ERA in 4 2/3 innings over two appearances.
Luis Matos, promoted to the leadoff spot of late as a reward for a hot month of May, was the hero of Tuesday’s win with a walk-off sacrifice fly in the 10th.
Matos has 19 RBIs in his 15 May games.
–Field Level Media
