Herrera, Eflin lead Phillies to 10-3 rout of Rockies
Apr 26, 2022, 7:22 AM | Updated: 8:27 pm
Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper, right, steals second under Colorado Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers during the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 26, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Odubel Herrera homered, doubled and drove in three runs, Zach Eflin pitched six strong innings and the Philadelphia Phillies again took advantage of some shaky Colorado defense in a 10-3 rout of the Rockies on Tuesday night.
Didi Gregorius had two hits and an RBI in his return from a bruised hand, and Bryce Harper added a pair of hits for the Phillies.
Charlie Blackmon hit two solo homers for Colorado.
Harper once again served as the designated hitter. The reigning NL MVP hasn’t played the field since April 16 due to a right elbow strain, but he did some light throwing on the field before the game for the first time since April 19. He didn’t sound as though he’ll be back in right field anytime soon.
“It didn’t feel great,” Harper said. “I think it was improved, but not to the point where I’m going to play.”
Harper said he and the Phillies will re-evaluate his elbow on Wednesday.
Eflin (1-1) allowed only C.J. Cron’s single leading off the second and Blackmon’s one-out homer to right field in the sixth. The right-hander struck out three and walked one, reaching 500 career strikeouts when he fanned Ryan McMahon in the second.
“It’s a pretty incredible accomplishment,” Harper said. “He’s a workhorse for us. He looked really good tonight.”
After committing three errors that led to four unearned runs in Philadelphia’s 8-2 win on Monday night, Colorado made more mistakes on Tuesday.
The Phillies scored three unearned runs in the third against German Marquez (0-1).
“Try to capitalize as much as possible on other teams’ mistakes,” Harper said. “Being able to get ahead is huge.”
After Kyle Schwarber walked with one out, Alec Bohm hit a routine grounder to third that McMahon threw into the outfield while trying to get the force at second. It was the third error in two nights for McMahon, and this one put runners on second and third.
Schwarber scored on Gregorius’ check-swing grounder to third that likely would’ve been an out if not for the shift.
Bohm reached on Marquez’s wild pitch, and Gregorius came all the way home from second base on the play when catcher Dom Nunez’s flip toward home plate to try to get Bohm eluded Marquez, making it 3-0.
“They’re both frustrating,” Colorado manager Bud Black said of the errors. “Our third baseman is Gold Glove caliber and he uncharacteristically made a poor throw. Dom just got caught up in the moment. He was trying to make a baseball play, but it was ill-advised.”
Philadelphia didn’t get — or need — any help in the fourth when it scored four runs on five hits, highlighted by RBI doubles from Rhys Hoskins and Herrera to go up 7-0. But the Phillies did get some more assistance in the sixth when shortstop Jose Iglesias couldn’t make an over-the-head catch of Nick Castellanos’ lazy fly to medium left field. Scored a single, it put Philadelphia into double digits in runs for the second time this season.
Blackmon went deep again to a similar spot in the eighth, marking his 13th career multi-homer game.
MARQUEZ MISFIRES
Marquez lasted just 3 2/3 innings, giving up seven runs — four earned — on seven hits with a strikeout and a walk. The 2021 All-Star has a 5.57 ERA and has allowed 28 hits in 21 innings through four starts this season.
Black said fastball command was an issue.
“Not good spots, that’s the key,” he said.
SERIES WIN?
With a victory Wednesday or Thursday, the Phillies would earn their first series win since taking two of three from Oakland to open the season.
STREAKS STOPPED
Connor Joe went 0 for 5 with a strikeout for the Rockies, ending his 12-game hitting streak, and Randal Grichuk was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts to halt his 10-game hitting streak.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: OF Kris Bryant originally was in the starting lineup but was a late scratch due to back soreness.
Phillies: Gregorius (bruised left hand) returned to the lineup after missing five straight games.
UP NEXT
Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner makes his first start of the season Wednesday night against Philadelphia LHP Ranger Suarez (1-0, 4.38 ERA).
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