- Manager Gabe Kapler called Saturday's 7-6 victory over St. Louis perhaps the biggest win of the year. After losing a 3-0 lead, the Phils fell behind but kept fighting, eventually pulling out the key win in the 8th inning. Here are the highlights:
- Scott Kingery got a much-needed big hit in the crucial 8th inning, crushing a triple off the left field wall, knocking in the tying run. There was thought of Kingery being sent down to Lehigh Valley to clear his head. It may still happen when J.P. Crawford returns soon, Hopefully Kingery goes on a roll. He brings energy and speed to the offense. He may end up being super-utility guy again/ It seems we have seen little of him at second base, his real position, mainly because Cesar Hernandez is playing so well.
- Odubel Herrera continues to play like a superstar and an All-Star. He hit a big home run to put the Phillies ahead, 3-0, over the Redbirds. He is fun to watch and in is such a tremendous groove, anything can happen. He doesn't have the raw power as a Mike Schmidt or Ryan Howard, but he is getting into the same picture as someone you can't take your eyes off, someone you stop and watch, no matter what you're doing.
- Siranthony Dominguez continues to shine. He earned a six-out save over the Cards, He has hit to give up a hit or run in his brief big league career. He throws 99 m.p.h., throws strikes and seems to have nerves of steel for a young kid. He should be the closer. Speaking of which, kudos to Kapler for sticking with the kid in the 9th. He didn't do the predictable in bringing in Neris for the last out as he did on Thursday might.
- A lot of baseball fans hate St. Louis. True, their Midwest fans may think they know the game better than anyone else, living there in Baseball Heaven. The Cardinals never finish last, are always in contention, and have won the second most world championships (16) to the Yankees. But I have to be honest- the Cards will always hold a special place in my heart. When I was laid-up as a kid, word got around baseball of my plight and during the summer of 1966, teams started sending me items in the mail. Autographed baseballs and pictures, stickers, a media guide, St. Louis went out of their way to be nice to a sick kid they didn't even know.
Growing up, my next door neighbor was a huge Cardinal fan. Wore the red hat, the bright red jacket and good-natured joked with me when St. Louis often won, especially in 1964 when the Phillies infamously imploded and the Cards stole the National League pennant. It was fun when the Redbirds played in the East and squared-off against the Phillies on a more regular basis.
- The Phils , when they won championships, were good defensively. Maddox, Schmidt, Bowa, Rollins and Utley were all defensive stalwarts in championship years. Recently the defense has been sloppy. Fundamentally, the club has been poor even coming out of spring training. Bad defense puts extra pressure on the young pitching staff. The offense has to work harder to catch up. Most fans want to see home runs and lots of offense. Pitching has always been key to success. But solid defense seems underrated. Hopefully the Phillies shore-up their defense if they intend to be contenders this summer.
- With the team playing well, giving us fun baseball, enjoyable entertainment and hope for now and the future, hopefully attendance at Citizens Bank Park will pick up. I don't know if it will ever approach the record nightly sell-out crowds earlier in the century, but it would be nice to see the seats full again this summer. Warm days and nights, the kids out of school and good baseball all add up to bigger crowds at the Bank.
- Rhys Hoskins continues to struggle in his sophomore season. Imagine the offense when he gets hot! His power surge was in August last year, so there is faith that Hoskins will come alive as the weather gets nicer and warmer.
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