WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
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PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES NOTES:
GAME #82 RECAP: The Phillies defeated the Washington Nationals, 19-4, at Citizens Bank Park in South Philly … Starter Zack Wheeler (W, 7-4) went 5.0 innings and allowed 4 runs on 7 hits with 0 walks and 6 strikeouts … The Phillies offense exploded with five doubles, four home runs and five walks as they went 9-for-16 with RISP … Alec Bohm had two home runs, Kyle Schwarber hit a grand slam and every Phillies starter had a hit and scored a run.
THE VIBES ARE BACK: This season, the Phillies were seven games under .500 at 25-32 (.439 win %) when they entered play on June 3, which was also the one-year anniversary of Rob Thomson’s first game as Phillies manager … Since then, they have gone 19-6 (.760 win %) with a +53-run differential (136-83) and enter today tied for a season-high six games over .500 at 44-38 – this marks Philadelphia’s best 25-game span since July 22-Aug. 18, 2011 (also 19-6) and their best run differential over a 25- game span since Aug. 13-Sept. 11, 2011 (+60) … When Thomson took over last year on June 3, the Phillies were also seven games under .500 at 22-29 (.431 win %), and in their first 25 games with him as manager (6/3-29/22), they went 17-8 (.680 win %) with a +29-run differential (126-97) … Since Thomson was hired on June 3, 2022, the Phillies are 109-84 and their .565 winning percentage ranks 6th in MLB, behind only ATL (.682), LAD (.637), HOU (.608), BAL (.574) and TB (.574).
I’M GIVING IT MY ALL: In yesterday’s 19-4 win, the Phillies set a franchise record for runs scored in a three-inning span in one game with 18 – they scored six runs in the 3rd, four runs in the 4th and eight runs in the 5th … The previous club record for runs scored in a three-inning span in one game was 17, done twice: 17 runs in innings 1-3 on July 14, 1934, vs CIN and 17 runs in innings 7-9 on June 15, 1894, vs CIN … The Phils have won seven of their last eight series (since 6/3: 2-1 at WSH, 3-0 vs DET, 2-1 vs LAD, 3-1 at ARI, 3-0 at OAK, 0-2 vs ATL, 2-1 vs NYM, 3-0 vs CHI) … This current stretch marks the first time they have gone 7-1 or better in an eight series span since June 12-July 8, 2018 (also 7-1 in eight series) … With a win today, they would secure eight or more series wins in a nine-series span for the first time since July 8-August 10, 2011 (8-1).
I’M OFF ON THE ADVENTURE: Today, Ranger Suarez takes the mound with an active five-game streak of at least 6.0 innings pitched and 1 run or none allowed (since 6/4) – in this span, he has posted a 1.08 ERA (4 ER, 33.1 IP) with a 0.96 WHIP (8 BB, 24 H) and has held the 129 batters he has faced to a .202/.256/.286 slash line (.542 OPS) … This is only the 10th time since at least 1893 a Phillies pitcher has gone five straight starts of 6.0+ IP with 1 run or none allowed, the last being Cole Hamels from July 19-August 9, 2014 (also 5 straight) … Suarez is only the ninth Phillies pitcher to do so since 1893: Hamels (2x) in 2014 and 2010, Cliff Lee in 2011, Dick Ruthven in 1982, Steve Carlton in 1972 (6 G), Jim Bunning in 1967, Lee Meadows in 1919, Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1916 (6 G) and George McQuillan in 1908 … Should he do it again today, Suarez would only be the third Phillies pitcher since at least 1893 to do so in six straight starts: Carlton in 1972 (also 6) and Alexander in 1916 (also 6).
LEADING THE CHARGE: Yesterday, Kyle Schwarber hit his sixth career grand slam and his second this season (other: 5/20 vs CHI) … Schwarber is the first Phillies player in franchise history with multiple grand slams and five or more leadoff home runs in a single season (Schwarber also did this in 2019 with CHI – 5 leadoff HR, 2 GS) … Thursday night, on the first pitch of the game, Schwarber blasted his 25th career leadoff home run which was his fifth this season (all coming in June) – he is also the first player in Phillies franchise history with five leadoff home runs in any single month during one season – he is also the first MLB player with five or more leadoff home runs in any single month since he did so himself in June of 2021 with WSH (7 leadoff HR) … Since joining the Phillies, Schwarber has hit 12 leadoff home runs in the regular season – the Phils are 10-2 in those games (.833 win %) and they have won each of the last seven when he has done so (since 10/1/22 at WSH, gm 2) … Schwarber was inserted back into the leadoff spot on June 2 at WSH – since then, he has posted a .915 OPS in 123 plate appearances and the Phillies have gone 19-7 (.731 win %).
BEDLAM AT THE BANK: The Phils are 22-15 in 37 games at Citizens Bank Park this year and their .595 winning percentage at home ranks 6th in MLB and 4th in the NL, behind ATL (.659), LAD (.615) and MIA (.610) … Philadelphia’s 37 games played at home so far this year are the fewest in MLB … Through 37 games at CBP, the Phillies are averaging 39,535 in attendance per game which ranks 5th among all clubs in MLB behind only the Dodgers (48,082), Cardinals (41,360), Yankees (40,836) and Padres (39,925) … Of Philadelphia’s first 37 games at home, 20 have been sellouts (54%) and 28 have been over 35,000 (76%) … Among all clubs in MLB, the Phillies have the largest year-to-year increase in attendance per game this season at +11,337 (up from 28,198 per game through 37 home games in 2022) … The Guardians rank 2nd behind the Phillies with a +5,835 jump in attendance per game and the Pirates are the closest NL club with a +4,756 spike in attendance per game.
NATITUDE PROBLEM: Since July 29, 2021 (game 2), the Phillies have won 27 of their last 32 games against Washington (.844 win %) and have outscored them 234-132 (+102 run differential) – that includes an 11-2 record here at CBP and a 16-3 record at Nats Park … In those 32 games, the Phillies are slashing .292/.369/.550 with a .918 OPS – they have hit 70 home runs (2.2 HR per game) and have scored 234 runs (7.3 runs per game) … The Phils haven’t lost a series to the Nationals since June 22-23, 2021, at CBP (0-2) and they haven’t lost a series in the nation’s capital since Sept. 21-23, 2020 (1-3).
TODAY’S STARTER – 98 RANGER SUÁREZ • LHP #55
2023: 2-2, 3.18 ERA Career: 27-17, 3.13 ERA
LAST START: 6/27 at CHI: 7.1 IP, 4 H, R, ER, BB, 8 SO … Suárez vs Taillon … The Phillies defeated the Chicago Cubs, 5-1, at Wrigley Field Brandon Marsh homered twice for the Phillies and Gregory Soto and Craig Kimbrel combined to strike out four of the seven batters they faced in 1.2 scoreless innings in relief of Suarez.
TODAY’S START:
- Gone Streaking: In each his last 5 starts, Suárez has thrown at least 6 innings while allowing 1 or no runs … Suárez is only the second pitcher this season to have accomplished this (other: Blake Snell) … It is only the 10th time since 1893 that a Phillies pitcher has had a streak of 5 such starts and only 2 have ever had a streak of 6 starts (Steve Carlton, 1972 & Grover Alexander, 1916)
- Strike ‘Em Out: Suárez has struck out 7 or more batters in 4 straight starts, making him the first Phillie this season to do so and one of 9 NL pitchers to have such a streak
- Beast In the East: Today marks Suárez’s 22 nd career start against NL East teams … In his starts against the division, he has 2.87 ERA (33 ER, 96.2 IP) and his career ERA of 3.22 ranks 14th among active pitchers with at least 150.0 IP against the division … He has earned a quality start in his last 5 starts against the division and in that stretch has posted a 1.42 ERA (5 ER, 31.2 IP)
- Trouble With the Curve: Suárez has thrown his curveball 168 times in 51.0 IP this season after only throwing it 198 times in 155.1 IP last year … He is holding batters to a .057 average (2-35) with his curveball and has struck out 15 batters with a whiff rate of 38.2% … Among ML pitchers who have thrown at least 100 curveballs this season, Suarez’s .057 OPP AVG ranks 3nd best (best: J.P. France, .000)
- Ground Level: Suárez’s ground ball % of 51.7% is 8th -highest among all National League pitchers with at least 50.0 IP and his ground ball/fly ball rate of 2.11 is 7th
- Pitch Usage: Sinker (29.1%), Curveball (20.1%), Changeup (19.1%), 4-Seam Fastball (18.7%), Cutter (12.5 %), Slider (0.5%)
HOME:
- 2023: 0-1, 5.21 ERA (11 ER, 19.0 IP) in 4 starts
- Career: 14-7, 3.30 ERA (67 ER, 182.2 IP) in 59 games (27 starts)
- 2022 Postseason: 1-0, SV, 1.59 ERA (1 ER, 5.2 IP) in 2 games (1 start)
