Phillies Set Sale to Sweep Sox
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | |
| White Sox | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Phillies | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | x | 8 |
The Philadelphia Phillies blew out the visiting Chicago White Sox to sweep a quick two-game series at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies continued a recent solid stretch of play, winning for the fourth time in the last five games with an 8-3 victory on Wednesday night over the visiting Chicago White Sox.
The Phils rode a strong performance from starting pitcher Jerad Eickhoff to the win, while their bats put a pounding on AL Cy Young contender Chris Sale.
Sale (16-9) was punished for six earned runs on seven hits over just four innings. Meanwhile, Eickhoff (11-14) lasted seven innings, allowing just three earned runs on six hits, striking out six and walking just one batter.
It was a 15th Quality Start for the Phils’ 26-year old right-hander who has made 35 starts here in his second full big league campaign. He likely will make two more, on the road in Atlanta, and then back home next weekend against the Mets.
The game didn’t begin well for Eickhoff, as he surrendered a leadoff home run Adam Eaton on the second pitch of the game.
But the Fightin’ Phils came out ripping against Sale in the bottom of the inning. Cesar Hernandez led off with a single, and then Maikel Franco was hit by a pitch with one out.
That brought Tommy Joseph to the plate, and the Phils’ 1st baseman lined a double to left field to score Hernandez to tie the game.
More from Phillies News
- Phillies-Mets owners’ rivalry grows after shocking Carlos Correa deal
- Could Rich Hill become ‘Jamie Moyer 2.0’ in Phillies rotation?
- Does Bailey Falter have a future in Phillies’ rotation?
- Bryce Harper’s absence should lead to Phillies lineup tinkering
- Pirates’ bizarre Vince Velasquez hype video will make Phillies fans laugh
Cameron Rupp then stepped in, and after taking a ball, Rupp one-hopped the left field wall for a ground-rule double that scored both Franco and Joseph and put the Phillies on top by a 3-1 score.
In the bottom of the 3rd, Roman Quinn led off by being hit by a pitch. It was the first of two times that Quinn would get nailed on the night, and the second of four total HBP’s of Phillies batters by Chisox hurlers.
Joseph then stepped in with one out, and drove his 21st homer of the season out to left field, pushing the Phillies lead out to 5-1.
That home run tied Joseph with Scott Rolen for 4th place in all-time rookie home runs for the Phillies. Willie Montanez (30), Dick Allen (29), and Ryan Howard (22) remain ahead of Joseph.
The Phils made it a 6-1 ball game in the bottom of the 4th as Hernandez ripped a ball to center field that split the outfielders, rolling all the way to the wall as Tyler Goeddel scored.
With one out in the bottom of the 6th, Goeddel was beaned on the helmet by a heater from reliever Chris Beck and had to be removed from the game.
Following a walk to Quinn that loaded the bases, Franco singled to score Hernandez and pinch-runner Odubel Herrera, and the Phillies had an 8-1 lead.
Todd Frazier and Alex Avila led off the top of the 7th with back-to-back solo homers for the visitors to cut their deficit to 8-3, but that is the closest that Chicago would get on the night.
Joely Rodriguez and David Hernandez each tossed a shutout inning for the Phillies to close things out, and give the team their first series sweep in more than a month.
“You beat a guy like Sale today, maybe he wasn’t at his best, but it doesn’t matter to me,” said Phils’ manager Pete Mackanin per MLB.com contributors. “We beat him.”
The Phils now take to the road for one final trip, with four games at Citi Field against the host Mets this weekend followed by three games in a last-ever visit to Turner Field in Atlanta.
The team will then return home next weekend for one final series at Citizens Bank Park, with the Phillies hosting the New York Mets in what could prove to be a pivotal series for the New Yorkers in the NL Wildcard race.