Phillies unable to capitalize on comeback in loss to Twins

Rebecca Serad

March 18 2018

By: Rebecca Serad, Sports Talk Philly Staff

Final: Minnesota Twins 4, Philadelphia Phillies 3 ❖ Attendance: 8,226

Fort Myers, FLA — The Philadelphia Phillies (9-14) dropped this afternoon's game against the Minnesota Twins (11-11). Outside of a rough second inning in which he alllowed two runs, Phils starter Aaron Nola was solid over five innings. Relievers Hoby Milner and Jake Thompson each allowed a run, the latter ultimately costing the Phillies the game.

The main sources of offense for the Phillies were Scott Kingery, who had a two-hit game, and Jesmuel Valentin, who hit his second three-run homer in the last six days. At the time, Valentin's bomb over the right field wall tied the game. However, the rest of the offense struggled to string together hits and failed to crack the Twins' pitchers.

WP: Taylor Hildenberger (1-0, 9.00 ERA) ❖ LP: Jake Thompson (0-1, 1.74 ERA) ❖ SV: Taylor Rogers (1)

Hub: Game Summary ❖ Starting Pitchers ❖ At the Plate ❖ Bullpen ❖ What's Next

Game Summary

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
PHI	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	3	6	0
MIN	0	2	0	0	0	1	0	1	X	4	6	1

The Twins struck first in this afternoon's game. Byron Buxton led off the inning with a bunt single. During the at-bat of Max Kepler, Buxton stole second. That ultimately didn't matter, as Kepler was walked to put runners on first and second with no outs for Ehire Adrianza. He tripled into the right-center field gap to score both Buxton and Kepler. However, Phils starter Aaron Nola was able to bounce back. He retired the next three batters in order to limit the damage.

The Twins added on in the sixth. With one out, Buxton tripled into the right-center field gap. Kepler followed with a groundout to first that was slightly bobbled by first baseman Adam Rosales. Buxton took advantage of the bobble to score and give the Twins a 3-0 lead. Adrianza grounded out to third to end the inning.

The Phillies got on the board in the seventh. Jorge Alfaro reached on a fielding error to lead off the inning. One out later, Pedro Florimon walked to put runners on first and second for Jesmuel Valentin. He hit a home-run over the right field wall to tie the game at three runs apiece. After Mitch Walding was retired on a fly out for the second out, Roman Quinn hit an infield single. He quickly stole second during the at-bat of Scott Kingery. However, Kingery struck out for the final out and Quinn was stranded at second.

The Twins took the lead for good in the bottom of the eighth. With two outs, second baseman Gregorio Petit homered to left to make it a 4-3 ballgame. Taylor Featherston was retired on a fly out to end the frame, but that single run was all the Twins needed to secure the victory.

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Starting Pitchers