Phillies pitcher earns two wins in one day in doubleheader rarity
PHILADELPHIA — Interim Phillies manager Don Mattingly had no other arms to call upon. After a rainout on Wednesday set up a doubleheader on Thursday, the Phillies deployed three relievers behind starter Cristopher Sánchez in the opener of the twin bill. Going with a bullpen game in Game 2, Mattingly sent every other available pitcher out to the mound through nine innings.
So when the nightcap went to extras, the bullpen phone rang for Chase Shugart — for the second time. The Phillies pitched Shugart in both halves of the doubleheader. And stunningly, he ended up as the winning pitcher twice.
The right-hander recorded the final out of the top of the ninth in the first game, and the Phillies walked off the Giants, 3-2, in the bottom of the inning. Then, with the club down to its last option, he threw a scoreless 10th in the second game. A half-inning later, Philadelphia secured another walk-off victory to beat San Francisco, 6-5, and sweep the doubleheader and the three-game series.
Shugart entered the Thursday with four career wins. He added two more to his resume in one day.
“It was a good day for us,” Mattingly said. “Obviously, two walk-offs in a day. A lot of good things. It took a lot of guys. Shug getting two wins in one day is pretty interesting.”
Shugart, 29, went 4-3 for the Pirates last season and had a 3.40 ERA in 35 games. He was designated for assignment in January and acquired by the Phillies via trade. Shugart began the year at Triple-A Lehigh Valley and was called up to Philadelphia on April 14. He’s been effective so far with a 1.00 ERA in nine outings. But he’s never had a day quite like Thursday.
After keeping the Phillies within striking distance in the first game, Shugart was tasked with holding a tie in Game 2 — with the added pressure of the automatic runner on second base to start the 10th inning.
He allowed a leadoff single to put runners on first and third. He then retired the next three batters, getting a huge boost from Alec Bohm as the third baseman made a diving catch on a Luis Arraez line drive for the second out. Shugart was amped up to escape the trouble.
“We’ve been going through a hard time and any win is necessary,” Shugart said. “Just a big moment and a big spot. And I feel like that’s my first time in a big moment like that, and being able to come through and not letting the ghost runner score was even bigger.”
Bohm carried the momentum into the bottom of the 10th, driving home Adolis García with a sacrifice fly to win the team’s third game in a row after the firing of manager Rob Thomson. The Phillies are still just 12-19, but they looked sharper in this series versus the Giants. It never hurts to get a contribution or two from an unexpected hero like Shugart.
“Those are the type of guys you want on your team,” Bohm said of Shugart. “Taking the ball twice in one day, and not just taking the ball — getting two wins — is pretty cool. But that’s the type of guy you want to battle with. That’s for sure.”
A pair of performances like that could potentially earn Shugart some additional opportunities. The Phillies are currently without closer Jhoan Duran, although he should be inching toward a return from the injured list. Lefty Kyle Backhus was placed on the IL on Thursday, with righty Trevor Richards joining the team from Lehigh Valley. There are potential middle-relief spots up for grabs right now.
Philadelphia will head to Miami for the start of a four-game series on Friday night with a taxed bullpen. But thanks to Shugart, the Phillies had just enough relief pitching to lock up two victories on Thursday.
Shugart said he didn’t know where the game balls went afterward, but the wins were good enough for him in place of a physical keepsake. According to the Phillies, he became the third pitcher since 1920 to record two wins in one day for the franchise. The last before Shugart was Terry Adams in 2002. According to Paul Casella of MLB.com, Shugart was the first pitcher across the big leagues to record two victories in one day since Brian Duensing in 2013.
“That’s a sick list to be a part of,” Shugart said.