Sosa powers Phils to 40th win of 2024, 20th in May

PHILADELPHIA -- Edmundo Sosa and Aaron Nola provided a fitting ending to the best month of Phillies baseball in more than a decade.

Sosa continued his remarkable run in Trea Turner's absence with a massive two-run homer and Nola turned in another solid outing in the club's 4-2 win over the Cardinals on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies had a 20-7 record in May -- their first 20-win month since September 2010.

Philadelphia dominated in every aspect over the past month.

The Phils averaged an MLB-best 5.78 runs per game in a month that began with Turner going down on May 3. The Royals and Guardians were the only other teams to average even five runs per game in May.

Philadelphia also got it done on the mound, posting a 2.62 ERA. That not only ranked second in the Majors behind the Yankees (2.42 entering Friday night's game in San Francisco), but it was the Phillies' best team ERA in any month since June 2011.

“We’ve been very consistent,” manager Rob Thomson said. “We’ve had good at-bats, which creates runs. And our starters are giving us length, which helps the bullpen.”

Nola tossed 6 1/3 innings of two-run ball against the Cardinals before the trio of Matt Strahm, José Alvarado and Jeff Hoffman combined for 2 2/3 hitless and scoreless innings to slam the door.

Nola leads the NL with 77 1/3 innings pitched. Teammates Zack Wheeler (73 2/3 innings) and Ranger Suárez (72) rank third and fifth, respectively. So not only is the starting rotation pitching as well as anyone, but it’s also helping keep the bullpen fresh -- and that’s paying serious dividends.

The Phillies’ starting staff combined for a 2.88 ERA in May. The bullpen had a 2.13 ERA. That marked the first time that both the starting rotation and bullpen each had a sub-3.00 ERA in the same month since June 1985.

Nola has consistently said this is the best starting rotation he’s ever pitched in.

And the ‘pen?

“Best bullpen I've ever been a part of, as well,” Nola said.

That’s a scary combination, especially on a team that also boasts the highest-scoring offense in the Majors.

"It feels good to be here and contributing to the team,” Sosa said via team interpreter Diego D'Aniello. “Like you say, we're the best team in the Majors right now, and I'm happy to be here and support the team and contribute to our wins."

No matter how you slice it, May was one of the Phillies' best months in recent decades. And almost all of it happened without Turner, who was hitting .343 with 10 stolen bases when he exited on May 3 with a strained left hamstring.

Sosa got the first crack at filling the void, and he's seized the opportunity. He's hitting .324 with 11 extra-base hits (including three homers), 13 RBIs and a 1.027 OPS in 22 games since replacing Turner on May 3.

“Another big night tonight,” Thomson said. “He's just playing outstanding right now.”

Sosa's most recent homer was a towering two-run blast in the second inning that landed on Ashburn Alley. The 439-foot shot was not only the longest of Sosa's 22 career homers, but it was also the first ball hit onto Ashburn Alley by a Phillie since July 22, 2022 (Darick Hall), according to the team.

Thomson said it was hard to track balls from the dugout in the early innings due to the glare, but he knew by Sosa’s stutter-step that he got all of it.

"I saw by the way he came out of the box that it was a no-doubter, so I was looking out to left field waiting for it to come down,” Thomson said. “And then it ends up going into Ashburn Alley."

Nola didn’t see it either.

“But I heard it,” Nola said. “It sounded really good.”

Added Sosa: “I'm living the dream right now. I'm having a lot of fun on the field and I'm working the best that I can to help get the team wins.”

With their 20 this month, the Phillies became the first team in the Majors to reach 40 wins this season. They also have a 6 1/2-game lead over the Braves in the NL East.

But they’re not getting too far ahead of themselves.

"We've got a lot of baseball left,” Nola said.