Depleted Phillies rally to snap five-game losing streak with 6-5 win over Giants

After five straight losses, the Phillies finally put one in the win column on Wednesday night with a 6-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park. In many ways, the comeback win felt like the antithesis of their past five losses (and not just because they won). It was the Giants’ defense that committed multiple blunders, blunders that would cost them runs. It was the Giants’ bullpen that ended up blowing a three-run lead in the sixth inning.

The Phillies hit with runners in scoring position. They scored six runs on 10 hits, with contributors scattered all throughout their lineup. Their bullpen allowed no walks, hits or runs. It was a solid win.

They are now 22-29, and 12½ games back in the division. They have a much-needed day off Thursday, and will host the Los Angeles Angels in three-game set starting on Friday.

“I think we needed a win before today, but this was a great way to go into an off day,” said manager Joe Girardi. “These guys have been grinding. A lot of guys have played every day in this 16-day run. We get an off day {Thursday] and we get an off day Monday. Hopefully that refreshes our guys. But I think we really needed [a win] bad.”

As has become customary for them lately, the Phillies held a tenuous lead entering the later innings. They were up just one run, 6-5, entering the top of the seventh, and after a bumpy, five-run sixth inning from Aaron Nola, it was up to the beleaguered bullpen to maintain the lead. But to its credit, it did the job.

Cristopher Sánchez had a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh. Brad Hand had two strikeouts in a 1-2-3 eighth. And then Corey Knebel came in for the ninth, pitching an uneventful 1-2-3 frame to earn his ninth save.

Two of the Phillies’ most productive hitters in the win were rookie shortstop Bryson Stott and second-year player Nick Maton. Maton was recalled from triple-A Lehigh Valley on Wednesday morning to fill in for injured Jean Segura at second base. He proceeded to go 2-for-4 with three RBI, including a two-run home run he hit in the sixth to kick-start the Phillies’ rally from a 5-2 deficit.

“The young guys did a really good job tonight,” said Kyle Schwarber, who followed with the second two-run homer in the inning to give the Phillies the lead. “Maton obviously with the big homer there, but I think everyone’s going to forget the bunt play [that went for an RBI single in the fourth inning]. That’s a big play right there. And getting it down off a guy like that [Giants starter Carlos Rodon].

“You look at Stotter too, going in there off a pretty tough lefty, and being able to hang in there. Fight out two knocks and playing great defense. So I think those guys deserve a lot of credit for the game today. They weren’t overtaken by the moment.”

Stott entered Wednesday’s game batting .140/.213/.163 over his last 15 games. On Wednesday, he went 2-for-4 and scored two runs.

Aaron Nola was cruising through his first five innings. He allowed just one hit over that span, and no walks. He was being efficient with his pitches.

And then came the sixth inning.

The sixth inning has plagued Nola this season. Over 10 starts, his ERA has jumped from 4.00 in the fifth inning to 9.00 in the sixth. But Wednesday’s implosion was particularly bad. He allowed a double, an RBI double and an RBI single to tie the ballgame at 2-2. Then, he hit Mike Yastrzemski with a pitch and proceeded to allow a three-run homer by Wilmer Flores, giving the Giants a 5-2 lead with no outs. He retired the next three batters, his last ones of the game. In all, it took him 32 pitches to get through the inning.

Girardi said after the game that because Nola’s pitch count was so low entering the sixth inning, he was considering having him go seven or eight. Nola said after the game the trouble he ran into was most due to poorly placed two-strike pitches that he threw over the plate.

Bryce Harper was scratched from the lineup before the game with right forearm soreness. After the game, Girardi said he doesn’t believe the soreness is related to the platelet-rich plasma injection Harper received in the arm on May 15.

“His arm was sore today,” Girardi said. “It was more muscular than anything else. Our hope is that with a good day of treatment today, he’ll be back Friday.”