PHILADELPHIA — Alec Bohm kept his promise from the previous night, returning to his third base position and cleanup spot on Sunday as the Phillies defeated the Giants 5-4.
During the previous night's game, Bohm slipped on the muddy field during a swing, causing his right knee to buckle, and he had to leave the game.
Bohm did not return to bat in the third inning because of tightness in his right hip, which was announced after the Phillies scored nine runs in the first two innings.
Bohm later reassured everyone that he expected to play in the third game on Sunday, saying, “I’ve played through much worse. It’s nothing really that I’m concerned about.”
Bohm has been having his best season so far without many worrisome moments. The former troubled third baseman has become a reliable fielder and a key player in the lineup.
While hitting behind No. 3 hitter Bryce Harper, Bohm had the highest batting average in the MLB at .364 and was tied for the National League RBI lead with Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna with 32. Bohm also had a 1.014 OPS.
Manager Rob Thomson commented, “I don’t know if I’d ever say that I thought he was going to lead the league in RBIs and batting average, but I know that he’s a good hitter. And he’s in a spot, hitting fourth in our lineup, where you’re going to have people on base to be able to drive in. He does all the things that RBI men do. He swings at good pitches, he uses the field and he makes contact. That’s where you pile up the RBIs.”
As for providing protection, Bohm was on deck on Sunday night when Harper hit a three-run home run to center to give the Phillies a 4-1 lead.
Bohm showed no effects from his previous hip concern while fielding, capitalizing on a misstep by Giants shortstop Nick Ahmed to score a game-tying run.
In the seventh inning, Bohm extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a double to left field.
Bohm mentioned, “We’re a deep team. We’re confident in pretty much everybody that walks up to that box. To be able to keep it rolling and put up a day like (Saturday’s 14-3 win) against a pretty good pitching staff … and to be able to string hits together and not really hit a bunch of home runs and score runs that way, just take our walks and get our singles and keep the line moving, it’s just another way we can get it done.”
The way Bohm scored a run showed how the Phillies have been creating runs lately instead of just hitting for power. The Phillies scored 14 runs on Saturday night, but only one was a home run, which happened in the seventh inning by Whit Merrifield.
Being patient at the plate has been important for the Phillies during their eight wins in nine games, including Saturday’s big win.
Thomson commented on the team's good performance in the first inning on Sunday, noting that they scored five runs without any extra base hits. He mentioned that the team had quality at bats with 10 walks and 12 hits.
The team is receiving good pitching and timely hitting. Despite their 18 strikeouts in the last game against the Angels, they managed to find a way to win. Different players are contributing every night, and they need to remain humble and keep giving their best in every game.
Bryson Stott may have overcome his slow start at the plate now.
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Stott initially struggled on April 27 in San Diego, but then had a turnaround with three hits, including two home runs, in the following game. He continued to perform well, raising his batting average to .240 through Saturday.
According to Thomson, Stott has hit the ball hard numerous times and had little to show for it. However, he has put together some impressive at bats in the past week.
Stott continued his good performance by hitting a two-out double to left center and bringing in a run in the third inning on Sunday night.
Bryson Stott is expected to play at shortstop while Trea Turner is out until mid-late June. However, due to bad weather on Saturday and Sunday, he hasn’t had much time to practice fielding there. Thomson mentioned the need to ensure Stott's comfort level at shortstop before placing him there. In the meantime, Sosa has been doing well in that position over the past two games. Spencer Turnbull, an impressive starter, was available in the bullpen on Sunday night, although Thomson is likely saving him for Tuesday's game. On Monday, top starter Zack Wheeler will play in the series finale against the Giants.
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The leading hitter in the majors was removed from Saturday night's game due to a minor injury, but he expressed his intent to return, which he did in a remarkable way.
