Jake Thompson earns first big league win as Phils down Rockies
On a night in which the Phillies honored former first baseman Jim Thome and inducted him into the team’s Wall of Fame, the young slugger, who isn’t young any more, that replaced him hit his 14th career grand slam on the way to helping the Phillies beat the Rockies by a final of 10-6. Aside from the Phillies’ impressive offensive outburst tonight, Jake Thompson earned his first career major league victory in his 2nd career start. The Phillies young prospect wasn’t perfect as he walked 3 batters as worked through 5 innings, but it was enough to get his first win and help the Phillies (54-63) down the Rockies (56-60).
Cesar Hernandez kicked off the bottom of the 1st inning with a 13 pitch at-bat that ended with a triple to get the Phillies in business early. Odubel Herrera singled home Hernandez to put the Phillies on the board first. After the Rockies tied the game up in the top of the 2nd, Peter Bourjos double to right, with a throwing error allowing Freddy Galvis to score and Bourjos to advance to third. Bourjos scored later in the inning on a wild pitch to make it 3-1 Phillies. The Rockies were able to tie the game up by the middle of the 5th inning, but in the bottom half of the 5th, vintage Ryan Howard stepped up to the plate and delivered. Howard hit his 14th career grand slam, his 17th homer of the season, to make it 7-3 Phillies. Aaron Altherr delivered an RBI single in the 6th to make it 8-3 Phillies. Howard delivered again for the Phillies in the bottom of the 8th as he singled home Herrera to make it 10-4 Phillies. Howard finished 3 for 5 with 5 RBIs to lead the Phils at the dish tonight. Rockies OF Charlie Blackmon had himself a night despite the loss as he went 3 for 4 with 3 solo home runs, putting his total at 18 now for the season.
Phillies starter Thompson definitely improved from his first start, but he still has plenty of things to work on after making just his 2nd career start. Thompson’s command wasn’t as good as hit has been down in the minor leagues, as he walked 3 batters in 5 innings. Thompson is surely just happy to get his first major league win, as he allowed 3 runs on just 2 hits and 3 walks while striking out 6 batters in his 5 innings of work. Four of Thompson’s six K’s came in the 2nd inning, as he became just the 2nd pitcher in Phillies history to strike out 4 batters in an inning, the first pitcher since Doc White in 1902! Thompson now sits at 1-1 on the season with a 8.68 ERA. Rockies starter Jon Gray suffered the loss tonight as he allowed 7 runs (6 earned) on 6 hits and 4 walks in 4 and 1/3 innings pitched. After tonight’s loss, Gray is now 8-6 on the year with a 4.55 ERA.
The Phillies and Rockies will be back at it tomorrow night for the second of three games in this weekend series. Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff (7-12, 3.78 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound against Tyler Anderson (4-3, 3.04 ERA) of the Rockies. Eickhoff will look to help the Phillies clinch a series victory with a win tomorrow over Colorado. A win tomorrow would give the Phillies three straight victories.
Photo via Flickr.com
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