Phillies' bats stay blazing hot in rout of Twins

PHILADELPHIA -- Back in Sept. 2019, Dallas Keuchel had a huge start against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

Afterward, players lamented the fact the front office never called Keuchel in June 2019 to try to sign him. The Braves called and benefited, while the Phils missed another postseason. Less than four years later, the vibes inside the Phillies’ clubhouse and at Citizens Bank Park have completely changed. The Phils hit Keuchel hard, as he lasted only 1 2/3 innings in Friday night’s 13-2 victory over the Twins.

They are playing like a team nobody wants to face in October.

“Just feeding off the energy around us,” Bryson Stott said.

The Phillies sent 11 batters to the plate in the second inning, when they scored six runs and knocked Keuchel from the game. They sent eight to the plate in the fourth, when they scored three. Stott and J.T. Realmuto hit back-to-back homers in the sixth.

It was the third time this season the Phillies hit back-to-back homers, but the second time since Tuesday. Phillies rookie Johan Rojas added the first homer of his big league career, albeit against Twins outfielder Jordan Luplow, who pitched the eighth.

Luplow did his best Craig Kimbrel impression, coming set with his right arm hanging before he threw Rojas a 1-0 pitch for a strike.

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“He was in Philly, so he broke it out,” Kimbrel said, smiling.

Rojas hit the next pitch out. It was a 47.5 mph eephus.

“When I stepped on home plate, I looked at [Luplow] and I said, ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to do that,’” Rojas said through the team’s interpreter.

It still counts, teammates reminded him.

The Phillies are having a blast this week. They are 6-2 on the homestand. Michael Lorenzen threw the 14th no-hitter in franchise history on Wednesday. Rookie Weston Wilson homered in his first big league plate appearance on Thursday.

Then there is the offense on the homestand. Trea Turner is batting .406 (13-for-32) with six doubles, two home runs, 10 RBIs and a 1.205 OPS. Nick Castellanos is batting .353 (12-for-34) with one double, five homers, 10 RBIs and a 1.176 OPS. Kyle Schwarber has three homers and a 1.135 OPS. Realmuto has two homers and a .946 OPS. Stott has two homers and a 1.059 OPS. Bohm has two homers and a .947 OPS. Bryce Harper, who did not play Friday because of mid-back spasms, has two homers and a .961 OPS.

“It has to turn at some point,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “I’ve been saying all along the offense is going to get going. And it is, finally. We’re really having great at-bats. We’re using the field. … I like where we’re at right now.”

Schwarber fouled a ball off his left foot and left the game in the seventh. He said after the game he is sore, but OK. It seemed like he was OK when Realmuto gave him a hard time in the dugout.

Schwarber playfully threw his arm pad at him. He said he and Realmuto have a running inside joke.

Less than four years ago, the Phillies wished they added a veteran like Keuchel in the rotation. This year, they got that help at the Trade Deadline in Lorenzen. They already had left-hander Cristopher Sánchez, who allowed two runs in six innings on Friday night. He is 1-3 with a 3.17 ERA in his last 10 starts.

The Phillies have been pitching with a six-man rotation since they acquired Lorenzen on Aug. 1. They will keep it through at least Sunday’s series finale against the Twins.

Thomson said he expects Sánchez to make at least one more start. Everybody expects the Phillies to keep hitting.

“You saw it in Spring Training and some of the numbers we were putting up there,” Stott said. “Just with the names in general, you don’t expect it, but you want to see it. This homestand it’s come out and it’s been awesome.”