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Phillies, Jerad Eickhoff Dominant in 9-0 Spring Training Win Over Braves

By John Town |
Mar 9, 2017; Clearwater, FL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jerad Eickhoff (48) throws a pitch in the first inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays during spring training at Bright House Field. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2017; Clearwater, FL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jerad Eickhoff (48) throws a pitch in the first inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays during spring training at Bright House Field. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports

Jerad Eickhoff logged five shutout innings as the Phillies cruised to a shutout win over the Braves for their ninth win of the spring.

The Phillies were dominant on the mound Tuesday as they allowed just five hits total to the Braves as they secured a 9-0 shutout win. On offense, nearly everyone in the starting lineup recorded a hit as the Phils jumped all over Atlanta’s poor pitching.

The game started off with a scare in the first inning as first baseman Tommy Joseph was hit in the hand by a pitch and was eventually replaced by Brock Stassi in the top of the third. X-rays found no break, but he was diagnosed with a left hand contusion. Joseph told reporters he doesn’t know how much time he will miss, but considering it is only a contusion, it shouldn’t be too long.

Philadelphia’s runs came in bunches with their first spurt of runs coming in the second. Logan Moore and Freddy Galvis singled to put runners on second and first with one out. Tyler Goeddel drove both of them in with a triple to right-center field. Cesar Hernandez followed up Goeddel with a RBI single to give the Phils an early 3-0 lead.

Roman Quinn and Taylor Featherston opened up the fifth with back-to-back singles, putting runners on the corners. Quinn scored on a wild pitch and Moore knocked a sacrifice fly to drive in Featherston.

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Jerad Eickhoff was dominant in his outing against the Braves, tossing five scoreless innings and giving up just three hits and one walk while striking out five. He was so efficient with his pitches – his pitch count was only in the mid-50s after five innings – that he was in the bullpen throwing more pitches after being removed.

Jon Stolnis of The Good Phight said, “Eickhoff’s outing today was best of any Phils pitcher this spring.”

Joaquin Benoit relieved Eickhoff for his first appearance in more than two weeks. He proceeded to hit two batters with pitches and walk another before eventually getting out of the inning. Luis Garcia followed up Benoit, retiring the three batters he faced in the seventh with ease.

Philadelphia came alive yet again in the bottom of the seventh to blow the game wide open with four runs in the frame. Stassi knocked his fifth home run of the spring, a two-run shot that went completely out of the stadium, as he continues to build his case for making the 25-man roster.

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Bryan Holaday and Pedro Florimon both walked, and Jesmuel Valentin doubled to drive in the former. Florimon scored on an error, but Valentin was thrown out at home trying to make the score 10-0.

After Jeanmar Gomez threw a one-two-three eighth inning, but Joely Rodriguez ran into some trouble in the ninth. After two singles and a fielder’s choice, there were runners on the corners with one batter out. Rodriguez induced a double play to end the game while preserving the shutout.

Next: Tommy Joseph Gets X-Ray on Hand After HBP

Philadelphia’s next game is Wednesday in a rare night game for spring training at 6:35 PM ET in Tampa against the Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Clay Buchholz is set to make his fourth start of the spring.

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