Phillies narrowly avoid being no-hit by White Sox, split doubleheader
CHICAGO — They had three huge two-out hits and four excellent innings of bullpen work in a Game 1 win Tuesday afternoon, but the Phillies’ bats went to sleep in Game 2 of a doubleheader against the White Sox.
The Phils lost, 3-0, and narrowly avoided being no-hit. Brandon Marsh got them off the hook with an opposite-field double to begin the eighth inning.
The Phillies couldn’t touch White Sox starter Lucas Giolito, who was done after six innings only because he had thrown 102 pitches. He struck out seven and walked one. Kyle Schwarber’s free pass in the first inning was the Phillies’ only baserunner of the game until Giolito hit Garrett Stubbs to lead off the sixth. The inning culminated with a double-play ball off the bat of Bryson Stott, whose 17-game hitting streak came to an end.
Bailey Falter settled in after the first inning but the game was essentially decided within four batters. He walked Luis Robert Jr., and after Eloy Jimenez singled with one out, Jake Burger laced a three-run shot to left field on a 92 mph, center-cut fastball.
Falter walked Elvis Andrus to start the bottom of the second but picked him off and then retired 14 in a row. He set a new career-high by going seven innings, also becoming the first Phillies starting pitcher this season to record an out past the sixth.
Doubleheaders have not gone well for the Phillies over the last decade. They’ve swept just two of their last 32, losing both games 14 times and splitting the other 16.
The Phils (7-11) lead the majors in batting average and rank in the Top 5 in on-base percentage and slugging but are middle of the pack in runs per game. It’s been a feast or famine offense. They’ve had five games with at least seven runs and nine games with three or fewer. They’re 1-8 in those games.
“It’s encouraging to me because we really haven’t hit many home runs yet and that’s part of our DNA,” manager Rob Thomson said of that disconnect on Tuesday afternoon. “We haven’t walked a whole lot but we’re starting to. Those are really the two key elements for me that create runs.”
The Phillies homered once on the day (Josh Harrison in Game 1) and walked five times, but still rank in the bottom third of baseball in both categories.
The bottom third of their lineup Tuesday night wasn’t exactly dangerous. It was Kody Clemens, Garrett Stubbs and Cristian Pache, who are a combined 5 for 47 this season, hitting .106.
The series ends Wednesday afternoon when Taijuan Walker (1-0, 4.20) opposes Mike Clevinger (2-0, 2.20). Walker allowed a run over six innings in Cincinnati in his last start. Clevinger started against the Phillies in Game 4 of the 2022 NLCS with the Padres. He was handed a four-run lead in the first inning but faced only four batters, going single, homer, walk, double then hitting the showers.
