Bullpen shines again, Marsh delivers big hit as Phillies take opener from Giants

Final score: Phillies 4, Giants 3

The Phillies have not played particularly clean baseball this week, and Friday was no different. But the Phillies have done a lot of winning the past couple weeks, and Friday was no different.

Despite four walks in one inning, two mental errors that could’ve proved costly, a separate physical error and just six hits, the Phillies won their third straight game behind yet another stout performance from the bullpen. It did come with some bad news: Trea Turner departed after the fourth inning.

But the bullpen provided its own good news once again. Matt Strahm, Seranthony Domínguez (notably), Orion Kerkering, Jeff Hoffman and José Alvarado combined for five innings in relief of Aaron Nola, allowing just one run to hold onto a slim 4-3 victory.

The Phillies are 22-11 and moved into a virtual tie with the Braves for first place in the NL East.

Highlights

The Giants took an early lead on a two-run double by Thairo Estrada in the second. It was the first time since April 21 that the Phillies didn’t score first.
Alec Bohm upped his hitting streak to 16 games in the third, and it halved the deficit to 2-1.

Two batters later, Brandon Marsh, who rang the bell before the 76ers’ Game 6 loss along with Bohm Thursday night, put the Phillies in front.

Jung Hoo Lee made this incredible play in the fourth after Johan Rojas roped a would-be extra-base hit to deep left-center.

But the Phillies still scored in the inning, thanks largely to some world-class speed of their own. Trea Turner came around from second on a wild pitch, but he departed after.

Orion Kerkering loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh — partially due to a mental error by Bryson Stott, whose hesitation on a grounder caused Lee to beat the eventual throw to first. Kerkering, though, induced a double play that the Phillies would certainly take despite the run scoring, then got Michael Conforto to fly out to the warning track in right to preserve a 4-3 lead.
José Alvarado put the tying run on second in the ninth — partially on a curious decision when Edmundo Sosa, replacing Turner, threw to first instead of getting the lead runner at second. No matter; Alvarado struck out Wilmer Flores to seal the win.

Notes

Aaron Nola allowed two runs, four walks (all in inning No. 2) and four hits on Friday, striking out four. He lasted just four innings due to a pitch count already at 89. It was his shortest start, by innings, since Opening Day 2023.
The Phillies are now 2-1 in the City Connect uniforms.
Jeff Hoffman continued his dominance in high-leverage situations, striking out the side in the eighth.