Schwarber homer, Sosa single lift Phillies past Rockies 4-3
Aaron Nola pitches during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Park on April 21, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) ((Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images))
PHILADELPHIA - Edmundo Sosa drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning on a single misplayed by Colorado left fielder Jurickson Profar, Kyle Schwarber hit a tying solo homer and the Philadelphia Phillies rallied for a 4-3 win over the Rockies on Friday night.
Brad Hand (0-1) started the night by receiving his 2022 NL championship ring from the Phillies and ended it by taking the loss for the Rockies.
J.T. Realmuto led off the eighth with a double off Hand and stole third base. Hand retired the next two batters and got Sosa to loft one to left that Profar took a bad route on and he trapped the ball on a bounce. Realmuto scored to complete the Phillies’ rally from a 3-0 hole in the first inning.
Aaron Nola tossed seven strong innings for the Phillies. Seranthony Domínguez (1-1) worked a scoreless eighth for the win and José Alvarado tossed a scoreless ninth for this third save.
The 2022 NL home run champion, Kyle Schwarber tied it at 3 in the seventh inning with a solo shot off reliever Dinelson Lamet into the right field seats.
Nola and the Phillies broke off contract extension talks in the spring. Nola is scheduled to become a free agent in the offseason and wanted to focus his efforts on this season before picking up talks again in the winter. Nola, who turns 30 in June, will make $16 million this year after the Phillies picked up the option in what ended up a $56.75 million deal over five years.
Nola scuffled a bit over his first four starts this season and has yet to allow less than three run in any of his outings. Sure enough, he gave up three in the first on Ryan McMahon’s fourth homer of the year. Nola allowed back-to-back singles that set up McMahon’s blast to deep center for the 3-0 lead.
Nola, who tied Hall of Famer Jim Bunning for ninth on the team's career starts list with 208, settled down after the homer and struck out three in seven innings.
The Phillies tagged Rockies starter Noah Davis for two in the fourth, but could have scored much more.
Philadelphia loaded the bases when Davis hit Realmuto with a pitch. The pitch appeared to skim past Realmuto, and Rockies manager Bud Black erupted on plate umpire Alex Tosi and was ejected. Tosi then balked home a run and Jake Cave’s check-swing infield single made it 3-2.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: OF Bryce Harper took live batting practice against former first-round pick Jeff Hoffman. ... RHP Nick Nelson (left hamstring strain) is scheduled to pitch two innings Saturday in a rehab assignment with Class A Clearwater. ... RHP Andrew Painter (right UCL sprain) threw at 60 feet on Friday.
TIME CHANGE
With heavy rain in the forecast, the start time of Saturday's game was moved up one hour to 3:05 p.m.
UP NEXT
The Rockies send LHP Kyle Freeland (2-1, 3.80 ERA) to the mound against Phillies LHP Cristopher Sanchez. Sanchez will make his first start of the season after he spent all season on the IL with a left triceps strain.