After homering, Max Kepler says he’s ‘on the same page’ with Rob Thomson
PHILADELPHIA – Home runs have been hard to come by in bunches for the Phillies.
The team set a season high in home runs in a game with five last Friday in Atlanta. It was the first time the Phillies hit more than three home runs in a game this season.
The Phillies, who are 16th in MLB in home runs, are hoping that the warmer weather leads to more power.
Wednesday’s game two 5-1 win over the San Diego Padres marked only the seventh time the Phillies have hit multiple home runs in a game since the beginning of June.
The power came exclusively from the outfield. Max Kepler, after getting robbed of a three-run home run for the second time this season, gave his team a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning with a towering two-run home run into the right field seats. It was his 10th of the season – and first extra-base hit since his last home run on June 16 in Miami.
A favorable matchup was just what Kepler needed. He came into the game with three career home runs against Padres starter Dylan Cease. He got a hanging pitch inside that he crushed.
Kepler, who has been under some heat for his public comments about his playing time against lefties last Thursday in Houston, dropped the bat and smiled before rounding the bases.
“Me and Rob had a talk the next day about it,” Kepler said about his comments. “We were on the same page with everything moving forward. For me, those comments I made are kind of left there in Houston.”
He could sit again for the next two games. The Cincinnati Reds have two left-handed starters, Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo, lined up to pitch on Friday and Saturday. Abbott has been equally tough on both lefty and righty hitters this year. Lefties have actually crushed Lodolo this year to the tune of an .845 OPS. Kepler has not started a game against a traditional lefty starter since the first week of the season.
But seeing a ball go well beyond the fences was “relieving” for the Phillies outfielder.
“Max, he’s awesome,” Brandon Marsh said. “Awesome teammate. Awesome player. We’re all super glad he’s here. He can change the game like that with one swing.”
Marsh added on with his first home run since May 31. His fifth inning solo shot landed in the bushes in deep center field. Designated hitter Nick Castellanos drove in Trea Turner on an RBI single to expand the lead to 4-1.
Alec Bohm also had a nice game. He hit his second triple of the year to right field that scattered past Fernando Tatis Jr. and landed in the corner. Pinch runner Johan Rojas easily scored from second. The Phillies third baseman capped off his night with a quick leaping catch at the hot corner to rob Trenton Brooks of a hit in the top of the eighth with Orion Kerkering on the mound.
All of this was done without Bryce Harper, who sat on the bench for game two after playing in the afternoon game. Thomson said Harper “felt fine” and was available in a pinch-hit situation “if the game was on the line.”
“Didn’t want to risk it,” Thomson said.
Starter Cristopher Sánchez picked up where he left off after an excellent June where he posted a 1.85 ERA. In seven innings, Sánchez surrendered only one earned run on five hits to win his seventh game of the year.
He has fixed his early-season command issues. Over his last four starts, Sánchez has struck out 25 batters without allowing a walk.
“Those are the things that satisfy me as a pitcher,” Sánchez said via a team interpreter.
The Phillies will enjoy a day off on Thursday before beginning a three-game weekend series against the Reds on the Fourth of July.