Forslings
4 posts
May 23, 2025
7:47 PM
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KANSAS CITY After watching J. T. Realmuto's dominant performance the previous day, including two home runs and seven RBIs, Phillies backup catcher Garrett Stubbs may have been inspired. With Realmuto getting a well-deserved rest on Sunday, Stubbs made sure the catcher's impressive showing continued.
Stepping in as the starter for the series finale against the Royals, Stubbs delivered a career-best 4-for-4 performance, helping the Phillies secure an 11-3 win at Kauffman Stadium. His first career four-hit game included a triple, double, and two singles, one of which came from a perfectly executed drag bunt. This effort marked the second consecutive day the Phillies reached double figures in runs.
Twice during the game, Stubbs was just one hit away from completing the cycle, but he ultimately settled for a single in the eighth inning and was hit by a pitch in the ninth.
"I don't think I've ever gotten on base five times," Stubbs said. "Maybe back in Little League. Id have gladly taken 4-for-5 and a chance for the homer in my fifth at-bat. "
The Royals put position player Garrett Hampson on the mound during Stubbs' final plate appearance, but Stubbs didn't get a chance to hit for the cycle. Instead, Hampson threw a 57 mph pitch that hit Stubbs.
"Everyone's giving me grief for not getting out of the way," Stubbs joked. "I tried, but it didn't work. Only on this team can you go 4-for-4 with a hit-by-pitch and still get ragged on when you come into the dugout Jordan Romano Jersey. "
Stubbs, who began the game batting. 193 from the No. 9 spot, used all parts of the field. His RBI triple to right field in the third inning gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead. Later, his double to left helped fuel a three-run rally.
It was a strong day for the bottom of the Phillies' lineup, as the Nos. 7-9 hitters combined for an 8-for-12 performance. The Phillies tallied 16 hits in total, including a solid 2-for-4 showing from Alec Bohm, who also drove in three RBIs.
"I feel pretty good about putting Stubby in there today," manager Rob Thomson quipped. "That triple really got us going, and then he came through with that big two-strike double down the line. "
Philadelphia's offense was complemented by a solid outing from Kolby Allard, who stepped in as a spot starter after being recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Allard tossed five strong innings, allowing two runs on eight hits, and left the game with a 3-2 lead. His performance was part of a strategy to give regular starters like Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola extra rest, with both pitchers ranking among the top five in innings pitched in the National League.
"I think it went pretty well," Allard said. "Garrett and I had a good game plan to get ahead and execute pitches. I'm just focused on getting a little bit better every day. "
Allard was able to work around a mental error by third baseman Alec Bohm in the first inning. With two runners on and one out, Salvador Perez hit a sharp ground ball that Bohm fielded. He stepped on third for the forceout but failed to throw to first for the double play despite having plenty of time. The Phillies dodged a bullet when Freddy Fermin grounded into a forceout, keeping the Royals from scoring.
Thomson spoke to Bohm after the defensive misstep. "Not remembering the outs was a mental mistake," Thomson said. "That can't happen. You move on, fix it. Alec's one of our better players Weston Wilson Jersey. He cares a lot about his performance. It's easy to get frustrated, but you've got to leave your struggles on the field. When you're not hitting, you need to focus on helping the team in other ways. "
Philadelphia stuck to their game plan from Saturday, taking control mid-game and then expanding their lead after the Royals went to their bullpen. Over the final two games of the series, the Phillies racked up 34 hits and 22 runs.
"I think this is really important," Thomson said. "We got back to our approach: dont try to do too much, pass the baton, and avoid chasing pitches. I was really pleased with how our at-bats went. "
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