Phillies Overcome Heavy Rain, Top Twins in Homestand Opener

By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor

Lingering, and at times pouring rain did not make a difference to the red-hot Philadelphia Phillies' (5-1) offense during Friday's series opener against the Minnesota Twins (4-2) at Citizens Bank Park. The club topped the Twins, 10-4, in their six-game homestand opener, improving to 5-1 — their best start to a season since 2011. The Phillies, now 4-0 at home, have scored at least eight runs in five of their first six games.

Twins starter RHP Jake Odorizzi recorded just two outs against seven batters faced, while throwing 36 pitches and 18 strikes — the shortest outing of his eight-year career. Leadoff batter Andrew McCutchen set the tone early by working a seven-pitch walk. Then, shortstop Jean Segura raised his career batting average opposite Odorizzi to .500 (7-14) with a RBI double to deep right; he advanced to third on Jonathan Schoop's throwing error. Two batters later, first baseman Rhys Hoskins laced a liner over the drawn-in Twins infield, scoring Segura.

Odorizzi would walk Realmuto and later Hernandez, before Twins manager Rocco Baldelli — who opposed the Phillies in the 2008 World Series — pulled him in favor of 30-year-old rookie RHP Ryne Harper. On the first pitch, third baseman Maikel Franco hit a bloop, bases-clearing double to shallow right. He was credited with two RBI — raising his season total to 10. The third run was attributed to a throwing error by right fielder Jake Cave, the Twins' second of the inning.

Leading 5-2 in the third, second baseman Cesar Hernandez added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly RBI to right. Two innings later with two outs, Aaron Altherr collected his first hit and RBI of the season — in his fourth plate appearance — with a pinch-hit RBI double to left, giving the Phillies a 7-4 advantage. In the seventh, Bryce Harper walked to load the bases for Hoskins, who then hit a three-run single. The third run came thanks to Harper's Chase Utley-esque, smart baserunning. Hoskins, in total, went 3-4 with a walk, run scored and four RBI, rebounding nicely from his costly fielding error late in Wednesday's loss to the Washington Nationals.

As Ryan Spaeder notes, Harper has walked to load the bases three times this season for Hoskins, who followed with a grand slam, a walk, and a single — eight RBI total.

Phillies starter RHP Nick Pivetta earned the win; he struck out four batters over five innings and 83 pitches, allowing nine hits, one walk and four runs (three earned) — including a triple and solo home run to shortstop Jorge Polanco, a two-run home run to center fielder Max Kepler, and a RBI infield single to Cave. Including his 2019 debut, Pivetta has now yielded 17 hits and eight runs (seven earned) in just 9 2/3 innings. Polanco's triple came with one out in the first; had Pivetta allowed him to score, the Twins' early momentum could have entirely flipped the final outcome.

The Phillies bullpen combined for four shutout innings. David Robertson recorded a much-needed scoreless ninth, with two strikeouts, after his shaky first few appearances — including the losing decision on Wednesday after walking three straight batters.

Game Notes:

• Hoskins saw as many pitches as Odorizzi threw (36).
• The Phillies have scored at least five runs in each of their first six games of the season for the first time since 1898.
• Odorizzi had a polar opposite start against the Phillies compared to his first 2019 start against the Cleveland Indians, where he allowed just one hit — a solo home run to Hanley Ramirez — and two walks, while punching out 11 batters over six strong innings.
• Twenty-one of the Phillies' 49 runs scored in 2019 reached base via a walk (h/t Joe Giglio).
• Southpaw reliever Adam Morgan continued his hot start to 2019 in the sixth and part of the seventh innings, with his fourth straight scoreless appearance. Through 3 2/3 innings, he has allowed just two hits and no walks, while striking out three of his 13 batters faced (0.00 ERA, 0.300 WHIP).
• The Twins' Polanco completed the cycle with his leadoff double in the seventh against Morgan, the 11th in their franchise's history and the first since Michael Cuddyer on May 22, 2009, against the Milwaukee Brewers. He is the first player to hit for the cycle against the Phillies since the Nationals' Brad Wilkerson on April 6, 2005. Polanco went 5-5, raising his season batting average from .286 to .423.
• Willians Astudillo, who played in the Phillies system from 2009-15, flew out to deep left center for second out in 7th against Hector Neris. As rookie last season with Twins, he played catcher, third base, second base, center field and left field. He has 39 hits through 109 career plate appearances. Right-hander Trevor May, also a former Phillies prospect, faced his former organization in the eighth. May was dealt with RHP Vance Worley in exchange for Ben Revere on Dec. 6, 2012.
• The Phillies improved their all-time record against the Twins to 9-10 (3-4 at home). The last time both clubs met before their Friday series opener was June 21-23, 2016, at Target Field.
• With a runner on third and two outs in the third inning, Franco was intentionally walked for his MLB-leading sixth time of the season.
• Entering Friday, the Twins had committed the third-fewest errors this season, 2, only bested by the Milwaukee Brewers (1) and Tampa Bay Rays (0). They more than doubled their season errors total in their loss against the Phillies, from 2 to 5. The Phillies' Hernandez also committed an error, his first.
• No opposing pitcher has recorded a 1-2-3 first inning against the Phillies so far this season, notes SportsRadio 94 WIP's Jack Fritz.
• The Phillies' series against the Twins is their first of eight interleague series of 2019. Their next opponent against an American League foe, after Sunday, will be the Detroit Tigers, home on April 30 and May 1.

What's Next:

• Saturday, April 6, 2019: vs. Minnesota Twins, 2:05 p.m.
  • Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pa.
  • RHP Michael Pineda (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Jake Arrieta (1-0, 1.50 ERA)
  • TV: NBCSP+; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP