Phillies Rally Late to Even Series With Rockies

The Philadelphia Phillies rallied late to defeat the host Colorado Rockies and even up their series at a game apiece.

The Phillies rallied for four runs in the top of the 7th to take the lead, then watched right fielder Tyler Goeddel save the day with a diving catch to snuff out a rally by the host Colorado Rockies in the bottom of the 8th, pulling out a 5-3 win at Coors Field on Friday night.

Phillies starting pitcher Vincent Velasquez battled through six innings in his first career start in the rarefied air of Denver. He allowed eight hits and walked two, striking out six batters and throwing 68 strikes among his 98 pitches.

Velasquez (8-2) was touched for single runs in the 3rd and 5th frames. In the 3rd, NL All-Star right fielder Carlos Gonzalez doubled home long-bearded center fielder Charlie Blackmon to put the hosts on top 1-0. In the 5th, rookie shortstop Trevor Story doubled home CarGo to make it 2-0.

Meanwhile, the Phillies were having a difficult time with tough Rockies rookie hurler Jon Gray. The 3rd overall pick in the 2013 MLB Amateur Draft struck out the first two Phillies of the game, and had recorded seven strikeouts while allowing just two hits through his first 6.1 innings.

Then still trailing Gray and the Rockies by 2-0 with one out in the 7th, the Phillies rallied. Back to back singles from Freddy Galvis and Cesar Hernandez scored Cameron Rupp, who had led off the frame with a walk.

Hernandez’ game-tying RBI single came off Rockies’ reliever Jake McGee, who entered to relieve Gray after the youngster had thrown 94 pitches.

With runners at 1st and 3rd, Phils’ manager Pete Mackanin sent up Tommy Joseph to pinch-hit for Velasquez. On a 1-1 pitch from McGee (0-3), Joseph launched a three-run homer deep to left field, his 10th of the season pushing the Phillies in front by a 4-2 score.

The 455-foot blast was the Phillies longest of the season for the young 1st baseman, who is trying to battle out of a lengthy slump. He is now hitting .500 with a double, two homers, and five RBI over his last four games.

The Rockies pulled one of those runs back in the bottom of the 7th against just-activated reliever Andrew Bailey. After the righty had retired two of the first three Rox’ hitters, CarGo and Story drilled consecutive singles to score D.J. LeMahieu with a run, making it a 4-3 game.

In the bottom of the 8th, Mackanin made another move that would prove prescient, bringing in speedy rookie Tyler Goeddel as a defensive replacement for Cody Asche in left field.

With two outs and two strikes, Blackmon battled reliever Hector Neris, fouling off a number of good pitches before finally flipping a double into right field. This put the tying run in scoring position, and led Mackanin to call on closer Jeanmar Gomez to try for the four-out Save.

LeMahieu stepped in and worked the count to 1-1, then sent a floater over shortstop, dropping fast into left-center field. If it fell, Blackmon would score easily to tie things up. But instead, Goeddel raced in, diving full-out to snare the final out and save the Phillies lead.

“I got a good read off the bat,” Goeddel said per MLB.com contributors. “I knew if that ball dropped that run would score. I knew I had to make an effort to make a play. When I hit the ground the ball sort of squirted in my glove a little bit. It stayed in there.”

In the top of the 9th, Galvis and Hernandez again got things going with walk and single respectively that put runners on the corners with nobody out.

Then with Andres Blanco batting, Rockies catcher Nick Hundley threw down to 3rd base attempting to pick-off Galvis. His throw went a bit high, sailing past Nolan Arenado‘s glove and into left field, allowing Galvis to score an insurance run.

After Arenado led off the bottom of the 9th with a single, Gomez coaxed CarGo into a 4-6-3 double play. He then slipped a called third strike past Story, securing his 24th Save and the Phillies series-tying victory.

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