Phillies 9, Pirates 7: Aaron Nola tosses two scoreless innings in spring debut
Alec Bohm and Edmundo Sosa hit homers and Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless inning in his first spring appearance.
BRADENTON, Fla. — The Phillies posted their third spring training win on Monday with a 9-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Starter Aaron Nola earned the win in a brisk 2-hour, 43-minute game at LECOM Park. The Phillies now have a 3-1 record in the Grapefruit League.
On the mound: Nola made his first start of the spring, throwing two scoreless innings and allowing no hits and one walk with one strikeout. Manager Rob Thomson said José Alvarado seems to be in midseason form already, hitting 98 mph on the radar gun in the fourth inning while mixing in his curveball, a new pitch he has been incorporating.
Alvarado came in after Craig Kimbrel, and both relievers pitched one inning with two strikeouts. Seranthony Domínguez came in after Alvarado, allowing two earned runs on two hits in one inning of work with two strikeouts (and one home run). Thomson said Nola, Kimbrel, and Domínguez are still building up their velocities.
Who stood out: Alec Bohm, who was the DH on Monday, went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, including a two-run home run to left-center field in the first. Utility infielder Edmundo Sosa, who started at second base, also hit a home run in the third inning, a three-run shot that traveled 414 feet to left-center. First baseman Darick Hall also had a good day, going 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Quotable: “I’m not just trying to pull the ball and hit homers. That’s me — the line drive to right field. So, I don’t want to take that part of my game away at all.” — Alex Bohm
Next: The Phillies play the Toronto Blue Jays at 1:05 p.m. Tuesday at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla. The game will be televised on NBC Sports Philadelphia.