Nice play.
Wheeler brings some big power to the Phillies rotation. His Final and 87th pitch of the day was a 97-mph fastball for a strikeout in the seventh inning.
Off the hook.
He played in 44 games with the Phillies, his fifth big-league club, last season. He entered the day with simply 7 career homers in 597 big-league at-bats.
The Phillies offense was sluggish beginning. Smith walked six batters in the very first three innings and the Phillies might only summon a single run on a leadoff homer by Gregorius in the bottom of the 2nd.
The Phillies rode the power arm of Zack Wheeler and the power bats of Didi Gregorius, Phil Gosselin and J.T. Realmuto to their first victory of the brand-new season Saturday night.
Wheeler was able to make the start since his newborn boy, Wesley, arrived Monday, five days early.
Shortstop Gregorius made a nice play to the end the top of the 8th and get Tommy Hunter out of difficulty.
Two games into the 60-game sprint, the Phils are 1-1.
All 7 of the Phils runs came on homers..
Minutes after the Phillies took a 3-1 lead on Gosselins two-run homer in the bottom of the 6th, the Marlins tested Andrew McCutchens defense in left field. Left-handed hitter Corey Dickerson hit a slicing line drive toward the left-field line. McCutchen got a nice jump and made a crucial moving catch to keep the lead guy off base in the seventh and help Wheeler put up a shutdown inning.
Wheeler permitted 5 hits, a run, strolled two and struck out 4.
McCutchen missed four months last season with an ACL tear. He may not be moving as fluidly as he when did, however he closes the gap with excellent checks out and jumps.
The Phils defense was extremely excellent. Wheeler kept the ball on the ground and took advantage of four inning-ending double plays.
Wheeler pitched seven innings of one-run ball and Gregorius (solo homer), Gosselin (two-run shot, solo shot) and Realmuto (three-run shot) all homered in the 7-1 win over the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park.
Helluva debut.
Gosselin, an energy guy who made the team with a late barrage of hits in summer camp, got the start at designated hitter. He strolled his very first time up, singled his second time up and homered his 3rd time as much as break a 1-1 incorporate the sixth. He homered again in the 8th to provide the Phils a six-run lead.
Harper got his first hit of the season in the seventh and was on base for Realmutos first hit of the season, which was a long-three run homer off the batters eye in. Harpers hit was a bunt single up the third-base line against a shift.
Is Vinny for genuine?
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Velasquez has actually been in and out of the Phillies rotation for 4 seasons. Its time for him to show he can keep his pitch count under control, make it through the middle innings and reveal some consistency. In a 60-game season where every game is magnified, the Phillies cant pay for to have a long leash with Velasquez and he must lock down his role rapidly since leading prospect Spencer Howard is waiting in the wings.
More on the Phillies.
Vince Velasquez earned a spot in the beginning rotation by pitching effectively during summer camp. He displayed a new cut fastball and an improved changeup to go with his four-seam, power fastball and his curveball. Now, its time to see if Velasquez can put everything together when things count. He will start the series finale Sunday afternoon against Marlins right-hander Jose Urena.
He played in 44 games with the Phillies, his fifth big-league club, last season. Wheeler brings some huge power to the Phillies rotation. Smith walked 6 batters in the very first three innings and the Phillies could just summon a single run on a leadoff homer by Gregorius in the bottom of the 2nd. Moments after the Phillies took a 3-1 lead on Gosselins two-run homer in the bottom of the 6th, the Marlins checked Andrew McCutchens defense in left field. In a 60-game season where every video game is amplified, the Phillies cant pay for to have a long leash with Velasquez and he must lock down his function quickly because leading prospect Spencer Howard is waiting in the wings.