After an emotional three-game series sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Philadelphia Phillies fell flat in their opener against the Oakland Athletics.
The Phillies lost 6-2 on Friday and appeared out of sync throughout.
Philadelphia will now look to get back on track when it hosts the A’s again on Saturday.
Cristian Pache hit an RBI double and Edmundo Sosa added an RBI single for the Phillies’ only runs on Friday. The frustration bubbled over when Trea Turner was called out on strikes for the second out in the eighth inning and was immediately thrown out of the game for arguing with plate umpire David Rackley.
To keep things in perspective, the Phillies still own the best record in the major leagues, a distinction they will hold at the All-Star break regardless of their results Saturday and Sunday.
“We had opportunities, but they kind of shut us down,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said.
The Phillies will hand the ball on Saturday to rookie Tyler Phillips (0-0, 2.25 ERA). The right-hander’s lone previous major league appearance was a four-inning relief stint on Sunday, when he struck out seven and allowed one run against the Atlanta Braves.
Now he will make his first big-league start.
“He was pretty excited when I told him,” Thomson said. “I expect he’ll be excited Saturday.”
Before the Friday game, the Phillies released Whit Merrifield and recalled Weston Wilson from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Merrifield was signed to a one-year, $8 million deal before the season to bolster the bench but batted just .199 with three homers and 11 RBIs in 53 games for Philadelphia.
Wilson had a .240 average, 18 homers and 55 RBIs in 71 games for Lehigh Valley.
“One, Wilson’s hot and we’re trying to get that thump from the right side, and, you know, we thought it was gonna be Whit,” Thomson said. “As hard as he worked at it, it’s a tough job, as I’ve said many times but you know, it wasn’t coming, so we thought well let’s take a look at Wilson.”
On Friday, Wilson started in left field, finished the game at second base and went 1-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and a run.
The A’s will shoot for their third win in four games on Saturday. The latest victory was sealed when Lawrence Butler hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning, the first pinch-hit long ball of his career.
Shea Langeliers added two singles and two RBIs and Brent Rooker contributed two hits and an RBI. Miguel Andujar also had an RBI single for the balanced A’s, who won on the road for just the 14th time in 49 tries this season.
Rooker continued to produce at a high level, though he wasn’t selected for the upcoming All-Star Game. He is batting .281 with 18 homers and 56 RBIs.
“I think I’m deserving to be there, but there’s no one there that’s not deserving,” Rooker said. “I’m proud of the first half I’ve had. I’m looking forward to continue doing what I’m doing and trying to win games.”
The A’s went 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position in the opener against the Phillies.
“Great at-bats,” Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said. “We talked a lot about having to battle. We’ve struck out a lot this year. … The guys made a commitment to grind out at-bats, trying to put the ball in play with two strikes and use the middle of the field, and we had success.”
Rookie Mitch Spence (5-5, 4.29 ERA) is expected to start for the A’s on Saturday. In the right-hander’s latest outing, against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, he allowed seven hits and five runs (four earned) in six-plus innings.
Spence has never faced the Phillies.
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