There isn’t a bigger mismatch in the majors right now than the Philadelphia Phillies facing the Athletics.
The Phillies have won a season-best eight straight games and 20 of their last 25 while the Athletics have dropped a season-worst 10 consecutive outings and 14 of their past 16 as the teams enter Saturday’s matchup at West Sacramento, Calif.
Philadelphia prevailed 4-3 in the opener of the three-game set on Friday and have won 12 of their past 13 road games.
Six of the seven runs on Friday were scored in the ninth inning.
“Exciting at the end,” Phillies shortstop Trea Turner said, “but we got the job done.”
Turner was a standout and led off the game with a 426-foot homer and added an RBI single in a three-run ninth. He went 3-for-5 and also stole a base.
Turner was glad to send another ball over the fence. He has two homers in the past three games after hitting just two over his first 46 appearances.
“Just minor adjustments and maybe (changes in) approach,” Turner said of the sudden power. “Sometimes you get in the box and you think one thing and your body is doing a different thing. So just getting synced up with body and approach is, I think, a good thing and it feels good.”
Philadelphia has outscored opponents 45-21 during the eight-game winning streak.
The Athletics are 0-5 during a seven-game homestand. They also have been outscored 76-29 during the 10-game skid.
The three runs the Phillies scored in the top of the ninth made the road tougher for the Athletics but Nick Kurtz walloped a three-run homer to center. The Athletics later had the tying run on base before Lawrence Butler struck out against Tanner Banks to end it.
Athletics manager Mark Kotsay found encouragement in the comeback bid.
“One of the things I want to talk about is the fight the club showed and the at-bats they took in the ninth inning,” Kotsay said. “That says a lot about where we’re at and the focus that we have that we’re able to continue to focus on the positive through a difficult time and there’s not a lack of effort in that locker room. These guys will get through this.”
Kurtz is displaying his potential as a power source. The fourth overall pick of the 2024 draft has four homers and eight RBIs over the past four games.
Philadelphia’s Cristopher Sanchez (4-1, 3.10 ERA) will face the Athletics’ Jeffrey Springs (5-3, 3.91) on Saturday night in a battle of left-handers.
Sanchez has allowed two or fewer runs in seven of his nine starts. He has struck out 59 in 49 1/3 innings.
Sanchez, 28, received a no-decision against the Colorado Rockies on Monday. He gave up three runs and five hits over six innings.
He pitched four shutout innings and allowed one hit against the Athletics on June 17, 2023 in his lone career outing against them. He exited after 61 pitches due to his pitching hand becoming swollen shortly after being hit by a comebacker.
Springs is pitching well with a 2-0 mark and 1.46 ERA over his past four starts. His ERA was a hefty 6.04 before the stretch.
Springs, 32, received a no-decision against the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. He allowed one run and two hits over 6 2/3 innings in his second-longest outing of the campaign.
Springs has a 4.50 ERA in two career relief appearances against Philadelphia. Kyle Schwarber (1-for-4) and Turner (1-for-3) each have doubled off Springs.
–Field Level Media
