Phillies Win Softball Game 12-11
By Buck Davidson on March 4, 2016
A dramatic three-run walk-off homer by Cedric Hunter in the bottom of the ninth inning sent Philadelphia Phillies fans home happy Friday at Bright House Field in Clearwater, as the Phils defeated the Atlanta Braves 12-11 in a wild game that saw 11 runs scored in the game’s final two innings. The Phillies had jumped out to a big lead early on, but they watched that cushion evaporate thanks to an ineffective bullpen and some shoddy defense. The victory squared the Phils’ spring record at 2-2, while Atlanta fell to 1-2.
The Braves wasted no time in going to work against Philadelphia starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson: Ender Inciarte led off with a double, and then scored easily on shortstop Erick Aybar’s two-base hit in the top of the first inning. Hellickson righted his ship immediately, though, setting down the next three batters in order to limit the damage to a single run.
The Phillies came roaring back in the bottom of the second inning, plating seven runs – all of which scored after two outs had been recorded. Third baseman Maikel Franco provided the big blow in the form of a long three-run homer to left-center field. The Philadelphia rally was in stark contrast to Thursday’s game, in which the Phils stranded 13 runners in a 3-2 loss to the Houston Astros.
The Braves answered the Phillies’ big inning with a single tally in the top of the fourth inning, but Philadelphia responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to take a commanding seven-run lead. Franco was again in the middle of things, as his single plated Cameron Rupp with the Phils’ second run of the inning. Atlanta scratched out another run in the top of the fifth, and then exploded for four runs in the eighth inning and four more tallies in the ninth to take a two-run lead. Four walks issued by Philadelphia relievers Hector Neris and Adubray Ramos, and a throwing error by second baseman Darnell Sweeney facilitated the Braves’ ninth-inning comeback. Atlanta’s big inning set the stage for Hunter’s game-winning blast, which traveled well beyond the right-field wall at Bright House Field.
Hunter’s walk-off blow was the game’s headline-grabbing moment, but Franco logged a strong day for the Phillies, smacking out two hits and plating four RBIs in his three plate appearances. Former Tampa Bay Rays farmhand Tyler Goeddel scored a run and knocked in two runs for the victorious Phillies, while Cameron Rupp collected two hits, scored twice and knocked in a run. Starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson posted another solid outing, allowing one earned run and two hits in two innings while striking out five batters and walking none.
For the Braves, Aybar went 3-for-3 with an RBI, while Inciarte picked up a pair of hits and scored a run. Closer Arodys Vizcaino struck out the side in an impressive inning of work. Braves starter Lucas Sims had a rough outing, allowing five earned runs and walking three batters in an inning and two-thirds. Catcher Matt Kennelly plated three runs with a single in the eighth inning and a bases-loaded walk in the ninth. Prospect Dansby Swanson, the first overall selection in the 2015 draft, went 0-for-2 on the day.
The Phillies will head to Dunedin for a date with the Blue Jays on Saturday, March 5, and then return to Bright House Field on Sunday, March 6 to host the New York Yankees.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | ||
ATL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 14 | 0 |
PHI | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 13 | 2 |
ATLANTA (11) AT PHILADELPHIA (12) ATLANTA AB R H BI PHILADELPHIA AB R H BI Inciarte cf 3 1 2 0 Goeddel cf 3 1 1 2 O Albies ss 2 0 1 1 Quinn cf 1 0 0 0 Aybar ss 3 0 3 1 Lough lf 3 1 1 1 Smith cf 2 0 0 1 Franco 3b 3 1 2 4 Swisher 1b 3 0 0 0 Crawford pr-ss 2 1 1 0 Freiman 1b 3 0 1 0 Howard 1b 2 0 0 0 A Garcia 3b 3 1 1 0 Stassi 1b 3 1 2 0 Castro 3b 1 2 1 0 Altherr rf 0 0 0 0 Olivera lf 3 0 1 0 Hunter rf 4 2 1 3 Swanson 2b 2 0 0 0 N. Williams dh 3 0 0 0 Tuiasosopo rf 4 2 1 0 Ruf ph-dh 1 0 0 0 Peterson 2b-lf 4 2 1 1 Sweeney 2b 4 1 1 1 Brignac dh 2 0 0 0 Jackson ss-3b 3 2 2 0 Ruiz ph-dh 1 1 0 0 Rupp c 2 2 2 1 Schlehuber c 2 1 1 0 Moore c 2 0 0 0 Kennelly c 2 1 1 3 TOTALS 40 11 14 7 TOTALS 36 12 13 12 ATLANTA 100 110 044 -- 11 PHILADELPHIA 070 200 003 -- 12 Two out when winning run scored. E--Sweeney 2. DP--ATLANTA 1, PHILADELPHIA 2. LOB--ATLANTA 10, PHILADELPHIA 3. 2B--Aybar, Inciarte, A Garcia, Goeddel, Rupp. HR--Franco 1 (2) (off Mateo), Hunter 1 (1) (off Hursh). CS--Lough, Jackson. IP H R ER BB SO HR ATLANTA Sims 1 2-3 3 5 5 3 1 0 Mateo 1-3 1 2 2 1 1 1 C. Kelly 2 4 2 2 0 1 0 Vizcaíno 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 Younginer 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Marksberry 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Ramírez 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Hursh (L,0-1) 2-3 3 3 3 0 1 1 PHILADELPHIA Hellickson 2 2 1 1 0 5 0 Bailey 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Infante 2 5 2 2 1 0 0 Leroux 2 0 0 0 1 2 0 García 1 5 4 4 2 1 0 Neris 2-3 1 4 2 3 2 0 Ramos (W,1-0) 1-3 0 0 0 1 0 0 WP--Sims, Hellickson. HBP--Goeddel by Younginer. SO--ATL: Tuiasosopo 2, Brignac, Freiman, Swanson, A Garcia, Peterson, Smith, Ruiz, Swisher, Schlehuber. PHI: Howard 2, Sweeney 2, N. Williams, Moore, Hunter, Quinn. BB--ATL: Tuiasosopo, Brignac, Kennelly, Castro, Smith, Ruiz, O Albies, Peterson. PHI: Lough 2, Jackson, Hunter. T--3:11. A--6,152.
Tags: Adubray Ramos, Arodys Vizcaino, atlanta braves, brighthouse field, CAMERON RUPP, CEDRIC HUNTER, Hector Neris, INCIARTE, jeremy hellickson, philadelphia phillies
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