Jan 20

PHI109
MIL123
Final

Jan 22

DET21-21-4
PHI21-20-6
NBCSP @12:00 AM UTC
PHI15-26
DEN26-16
TNT @3:00 AM UTC

Jan 24

PHI21-20-6
NYR22-20-4
NBCSP @12:00 AM UTC

Jan 25

CLE36-6
PHI15-26
NBCSP @12:00 AM UTC
PHI21-20-6
NYI19-20-7
NBCSP+ @12:30 AM UTC

Dominant Velasquez, late offense lead Phillies to series win over Padres

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For Vince Velasquez, there's just something about facing the Padres.

Maybe it's that they've been the worst team in the National League the last three seasons?

No matter, the way Velasquez has dominated the Padres the only two times he's faced them as a Phillie has been eye-popping. Two years and three months ago, he famously pitched that three-hit shutout with 16 strikeouts in his very first start at Citizens Bank Park.

And Sunday night, with the Phillies needing a win to split their day-night doubleheader, Velasquez blew through the Padres' lineup with seven shutout innings.

It was the first time this season Velasquez has completed seven innings, and the third time in 2018 he's carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning.

The Phillies needed every bit of it because they led by just a run until breaking out for four with two outs in the seventh.

The Phillies won 5-0 to split the doubleheader and improve to 55-43, a half-game ahead of the Braves.

Velasquez has been difficult to hit since the middle of June, posting a 2.38 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 34 innings in his last six starts.

Over that span, he's held his opponents to a .134 batting average.

Vinny beats Hosmer

The biggest spot in the game for Velasquez came with two on and two outs in the sixth inning and Eric Hosmer, the Padres' best hitter, at the plate. After falling behind 2-0, Velasquez threw three fastballs and induced a weak popout to Rhys Hoskins in left field to end the threat.

The inning only reached that point because of a throwing error by second baseman Jesmuel Valentin on a rushed throw to Scott Kingery at the second-base bag. 

There haven't been many clean defensive games for the 2018 Phillies. Their 72 errors are third-most in baseball, ahead of only the Rangers and Cardinals.

Valentin did rebound to begin a clutch double play on a sharp grounder from Freddy Galvis to end the seventh inning.

Productive day for Hoskins

Hoskins homered in both games of the doubleheader, putting the Phillies on the board in Game 1 and giving them cushion with a three-run shot in Game 2.

Hoskins is up to 16 homers and 61 RBI on the season. He also just missed another homer with a 375-foot flyout to left-center earlier in the game.

Hoskins has been a bit unlucky with those deep flyouts — he's hit a ball 375-plus feet 18 times this season and seven of them have been outs.

Can Herrera hit 30?

Odubel Herrera accounted for the Phillies' first run with a solo shot to right field in the fourth inning, his career high 17th. 

Herrera is on pace for 28 homers and 91 RBI. His bat speed and quick-twitch ability at the plate leads to some majestic homers. It's the way that he hits them that gives him the look of a 25-to-30-home-run guy, which nobody projected a few short years ago.

The Kingery conundrum

There's no easy answer for the Phillies at shortstop right now. They have to continue playing Scott Kingery because there's no better option, until or unless they acquire a shortstop.

Kingery went 1 for 8 in Sunday's doubleheader with a bloop single and four strikeouts. He continues to expand the zone and miss hittable pitches down the middle.

Kingery's on-base percentage is down to .280. The only National League regular with a lower OBP is Miami's Lewis Brinson.

Up next

The Dodgers come to town for an unusually intriguing late-July series. It will be Chase Utley's last visit here as a player and Manny Machado's first as a Dodger.

Monday night at 7:05 — Zach Eflin (7-2, 3.15) vs. Ross Stripling (8-2, 2.08)

Tuesday night at 7:05 — Aaron Nola (12-3, 2.30) vs. Kenta Maeda (7-5, 3.12)

Wednesday afternoon at 12:35 — Jake Arrieta (7-6, 3.47) vs. LHP Rich Hill (3-4, 4.26)

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