Howard's Slam Secures Phillies Victory

Howard’s Slam Secures Phillies Victory

Nick Mandarano

August 12 2016

By Nick Mandarano, Sports Talk Philly staff writer

Final: Philadelphia 10, Colorado 4 ❖

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Is there a more poetic way to celebrate Jim Thome's induction into the Wall of Fame than Ryan Howard breaking a 3-3 tie with a 455 ft. grand slam? The home run gave the Phillies a commanding four-run lead in the fifth inning, which they would hold on to for the remainder of the game. It was Howard's ninth home run in his last 25 starts. He's now hitting .378 (17-for-45) since the All-Star break.

Jake Thompson, who had a rough debut to say the least, made his home debut for the Phillies tonight and looked much better than he did in his first outing. He earned his first major league win, allowing just two hits in five innings. The Phillies start their nine-game home stand on a positive note with tonight's victory.

WP: Jake Thompson (1-1, 8.68 ERA) ❖ LP: Jon Gray (8-6, 4.55 ERA)

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
COL	0	1	1	0	1	0	1	0	2	6	8	1
PHI	1	2	0	0	4	1	1	1	X	10	11	1

Cesar Hernandez led off the bottom of the first inning with a 13-pitch at-bat that resulted in a triple. He'd then score in the following at-bat when Odubel Herrera flared a single over third base.

David Dahl began the top of the second by reaching base on a wild pitch by Jake Thompson that otherwise would've been strike three. He advanced to third on a single by Gerardo Parra and was knocked in by Nick Hundley to tie the game at 1-1.

In the bottom of the second, with Freddy Galvis on first base, Peter Bourjos hit a ball to shallow right field. In an attempt to stretch a single into a double, Bourjos drew an errant throw to second base, which allowed Galvis to score and Bourjos to reach third. Bourjos would then score as well on a wild pitch in the next at-bat.

Charlie Blackmon led off the third inning with a solo home run to cut the Phillies' lead one run. It was fourth straight half inning in which a run was scored. Jake Thompson walked three of the first four Rockies that came to the plate in the top of the fifth to load the bases. With one out, Nolan Arenado hit a fly ball to right field that would score a run and tie the game at three.

Ryan Howard went deep with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth for his 17th home run this season. The grand slam gave the Phillies a commanding 7-3 lead. The lead was extended when Aaron Altherr drove in Hernandez in the bottom of the sixth.

Blackmon went deep again in the seventh for the second time for the Rockies' fourth run. With the bases loaded in the bottom half of the inning and no outs, Bourjos grounded into a double play that scored Howard and gave the Phillies a five-run cushion.

Howard came to the plate once more and drove in Odubel Herrera from third to make the score 10-4 in the bottom of the eighth.

Before the final out, the Rockies put up a final fight. Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu hit back-to-back solo shots in the ninth inning to make the score 10-6, where it would stand for the remainder of the game. The ninth inning home run was Blackmon's third of the game.

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Starting Pitchers