Since firing their manager in late April, the Philadelphia Phillies have turned their season upside down.
The Phillies aim for their sixth win in seven games Monday when they welcome the Pittsburgh Pirates to town for the opener of a three-game intra-state series.
Philadelphia is coming off a 5-2 road trip – the team’s latest successful stretch since starting the season 9-19. Sunday’s 5-4 victory over the New York Mets improved the Phillies to 38-18 since replacing manager Rob Thomson with Don Mattingly.
“It’s good to see that we keep going,” Mattingly said. “Even today, losing the lead and getting it right back. There have been times when our starters and our bullpen have carried us and other times when we’ve scored runs. Hopefully there will be times when we’re catching the ball and making plays. So whatever it takes to get a win.”
Sunday’s victory, which moved the Phillies within three games of the first-place Atlanta Braves, was highlighted by Kyle Schwarber’s go-ahead homer in the seventh.
“He’s amazing,” Mattingly said of Schwarber, who leads the majors with 30 homers. ” … It’s good he’s on our side.”
Philadelphia hopes to keep the momentum going behind Aaron Nola (3-4, 5.58 ERA), who had one of his worst starts of the season against Pittsburgh on May 15. In that one, the veteran right-hander allowed six runs in 3 2/3 innings in a game the Phillies eventually won 11-9 in 10 innings. The Phillies swept that series as part of an 18-10 May that revitalized their season.
Most recently, Nola allowed two runs and three hits in five innings Wednesday in a 5-4 victory over the Washington Nationals. He gave up two homers for the third straight outing, marking the sixth time this season he has yielded multiple homers in a game.
“I was trying to make pitches,” Nola said. “I got behind a little bit tonight. My pitches weren’t where they needed to be, but they were two solo home runs. I was trying to get the guys in the dugout as soon as I could.”
Nola is 4-3 with a 4.86 ERA in 11 career starts against Pittsburgh, which will counter with Braxton Ashcraft (7-3, 3.07) in the series opener.
Ashcraft is coming off a terrific start against the Seattle Mariners in which he allowed one run in six innings, striking out 10 without a walk.
“He’s been really good for us and was again (Wednesday),” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “…Threw a ton of strikes. Got a ton of punchouts. Was efficient. Only 86 pitches through six innings. He pitched great.”
Ashcraft opposed Nola in that May 15 contest and allowed four runs in 6 2/3 innings. That is his only career start against Philadelphia, although he tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings in a relief appearance last June against the Phillies.
The Pirates lost the first two games in their series with the Cincinnati Reds over the weekend, although they salvaged the finale with a 9-4 triumph on Sunday. Ryan O’Hearn hit a pair of home runs for Pittsburgh, while Esmerlyn Valdez also homered as part of a three-hit day.
“Obviously, it’s been kind of a tough series for us, but to come away with a win today and save the series was good,” O’Hearn said. “…Got a win. Just keep it moving.”
–Field Level Media
