Sánchez solid again in fifth starter's slot

PHILADELPHIA -- Cristopher Sánchez was far from perfect on Saturday afternoon against the Mets, but he still gave the Phillies a chance to win -- something they haven't gotten often from the No. 5 spot in their rotation.

Though the Phils ultimately dropped a 4-2 decision at Citizens Bank Park, Sánchez held his own against three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer. Sánchez received an ovation from the home crowd as he departed with the game tied at 2 after allowing a leadoff single to start the sixth.

Unfortunately for the Phillies, the move to the bullpen did not work out.

Yunior Marte entered and promptly allowed back-to-back singles to Starling Marte and Francisco Lindor to load the bases with no outs. Pete Alonso drove in the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice and Tommy Pham followed with an RBI single to push the lead to two.

Including the inherited runner, Sánchez allowed three runs on five hits while striking out four and walking none over five-plus innings. Sánchez threw only 75 pitches (52 strikes).

But manager Rob Thomson didn't want Sánchez to face Marte -- who hit a 106.2 mph home run in the first inning and a 102.9 mph lineout in the third -- for a third time.

"[Sánchez] threw well, but the middle of that order had some good swings on him," Thomson said. "So that's why I wanted to go to our Marte there. ... But [Sánchez] was good. Gave us everything we needed and kept us in the game."

Sánchez allowed plenty of hard contact early: he yielded three batted balls with an exit velocity of at least 100 mph in the first inning and another four in the third inning. But he managed to both limit the damage and get stronger as the game went on.

There was plenty to like about Sánchez's outing. He needed only seven pitches in a 1-2-3 second inning that included a pair of three-pitch strikeouts. He had also retired eight consecutive batters from the third through the end of the fifth before Nimmo grounded a ball through the right side to open the sixth.

“I found a rhythm, for sure, as the game progressed,” Sánchez said through translator Diego Ettedgui. “For me, the goal was to attack the hitters early and to try to go as deep as possible in the game.”

In two starts since being recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Sánchez has pitched to a 3.00 ERA with nine strikeouts and one walk over nine innings. That comes on the heels of posting a 1.50 ERA over his last three starts with the IronPigs prior to his promotion.

"Honestly, he pitched great," said right fielder Nick Castellanos, who went 3-for-3 with a home run, a walk and a diving catch in the losing effort. "Pounded the strike zone, threw multiple pitches for strikes, didn't fall behind that often. He did well.”

It may be just two turns through the rotation, but Sánchez has provided some much-needed stability in a spot that had been a revolving door since Matt Strahm shifted to the bullpen in early May.

Bailey Falter (now in Triple-A) made one start in that spot. The Phillies then brought in Dylan Covey (now in the bullpen), who also made one start. They used an opener twice. They deployed two bullpen games. Three times, they used an off-day to skip the spot entirely.

Prior to turning to Sánchez, Philadelphia had gone just 2-10 in games started by that place in the rotation this season. The starters had a combined 6.75 ERA in those contests.

"I’m trying to take advantage of this opportunity as much as possible,” Sánchez said. “Because I really want to be here until the end of the season."

With days off each of the next two Mondays, the Phillies could have opted to skip that troublesome rotation spot a couple more times. In fact, they wouldn't technically need a fifth starter again until July 9 -- the final day before the All-Star break.

But with Sánchez giving the club quality innings, he'll make another start when that turn comes up in Friday's series opener against the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Not only will the Phillies benefit from getting a few more looks at him before the Aug. 1 Trade Deadline, but the extra day of rest for the other starters should continue to help a starting staff that has compiled a 1.78 ERA over the past 19 games.

"If he could keep this going, it'd be great," Thomson said. "That fifth spot, if he can take five, six innings down every time out, that'd be huge."