Daily News | Phillies’ bats get hot as team cruises to 10-1 victory over Nationals
WASHINGTON — If you’re feeling a surge of optimism over the Phillies’ chances of finally returning to the playoffs, it’s probably because they’ve reeled off 11 wins in 13 games since firing the manager. Or maybe it’s because they’re averaging 6.4 runs per game in June.
A revised schedule after the owners’ lockout forced the Phillies to wait 64 games to get a look at what has become of their division rival, and well, they feasted. They scored seven — yes, seven — unearned runs in the third inning Thursday night, and backed by two homers from Babe, uh, Kyle Schwarber and seven easy-breezy innings from Zack Wheeler, they laughed to a 10-1 victory.
The Nationals are 23-43, the worst record in the National League, and on pace for 105 losses. They’re 5-21 against NL East teams. The New York Mets are 8-2 against them; the Atlanta Braves are 4-2; the Miami Marlins are 8-1.“They’re struggling a little bit, so we’ve got to take advantage of them and win some ballgames while we’re here,” said Wheeler, who gave up four hits, struck out three, and got 10 groundouts in seven walk-free innings. “The Braves just came in and did the same thing.
Instead of being back in the dugout, Nationals starter Patrick Corbin had to face the top of the Phillies’ order. He gave up a two-run homer to Schwarber, a double to Rhys Hoskins, and a walk to Bryce Harper, who went from first to third on Nick Castellanos’ RBI single to left field. J.T. Realmuto followed with an RBI infield single before a two-run double by Didi Gregorius.The Phillies sent 12 batters to the plate, scored seven runs, and made Corbin throw 46 pitches in the fateful third inning.