Velasquez's complete game shutout propels Phils to series win

Velasquez’s complete game shutout propels Phils to series win

Rebecca Serad

April 14 2016

By: Rebecca Serad, contributor

Final: Philadelphia Phillies 3, San Diego Padres 0 ❖ Attendance: 18,079

Philadelphia, PA — Coming into today's series finale, the Phillies were hoping for both a series win and to reach the .500 mark for the first time since April 12 of last season. From the start of today's game, it was obvious that both starting pitchers were at the top of their game, efficiently retiring the majority of the opposing team's batters. Padres pitcher Drew Pomeranz's only blemishes were allowing a solo homer to Ryan Howard in the bottom of the second inning and a sacrifice fly to Howard in the bottom of the sixth. Pomeranz's solid outing didn't compare to the gem thrown by Phillies twenty-three year old starter Vince Velasquez. Acquired in the Ken Giles trade last offseason, Velasquez pitched a complete game shutout and racked up a career high sixteen strikeouts. He was simply masterful, only allowing three singles and retiring the last fourteen batters he faced. Velasquez's outing was MLB's first complete game shutout of the season.

WP: Vince Velasquez (2-0, 0.00 ERA) ❖ LP: Drew Pomeranz (1-1, 3.27 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
SD	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
PHI	0	1	0	0	0	1	1	0	X	3	4	0

Vince Velasquez seemed to be getting into a good groove through the first inning and part of the second inning. He got the first two outs in the top of the second inning, but Jabari Blash and Alexi Amarista got back-to-back singles to put a runner in scoring position for the Padres. Velasquez got out of the potentially threatening situation with a strikeout of Alexei Ramirez to end the inning.

To lead off the bottom of the inning, Ryan Howard hit a no-doubt-about-it homer to left-center field to give the Phillies an early 1-0 lead. Two outs later, Peter Bourjos hit a ball to center field that was missed by Padres center fielder Jon Jay. The sun's obvious effect on the play led to it being called a double, instead of an error. Unfortunately, left fielder Tyler Goeddel struck out to end the inning and the Phils were unable to capitalize on the runner in scoring position.

Velasquez led off the Phils' half of the third inning with a single up the middle, but was replaced by Cesar Hernandez at first due to a fielder's choice. A walk by Odubel Herrera put runners on first and second with only one out, and with Maikel Franco coming to the plate, it seemed that the Phillies had a chance of adding to their lead. However, Franco struck out and Hernandez was thrown out trying to steal third on the play, which ended the Phils' threat and the inning.

After dominant pitching by both starters kept the baserunners to a minimum over the next few innings, Herrera walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning. He then stole second during Franco's at-bat to put another runner in scoring position for the Phils. Franco grounded out to third base, but still managed to move the runner over to third. Howard came to the plate with one out and a runner ninety feet away from scoring. He hit a deep fly ball to center for a sacrifice fly to score Herrera, adding another run to the Phils' lead.

Andres Blanco doubled off of reliever Carlos Villanueva to begin the bottom of the seventh. He was moved over to third by a sacrifice bunt by Bourjos. After a pop-out by pinch hitter Cedric Hunter (batting for Goeddel), Velasquez came to the plate. A wild pitch by Villanueva allowed Blanco to score and increase the Phillies' lead to three runs.

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Starting Pitchers