Schwarber, Turner slug as intended in DH sweep

July 16th, 2023

PHILADELPHIA -- This is why leads off.

This is why hits second.

Because, eventually, manager Rob Thomson believes both players will lead the team to more days like this. The Phillies swept the Padres in Saturday’s doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park with a 6-4 victory in Game 1 and a 9-4 win in Game 2. In Game 1, Schwarber crushed a game-tying solo home run in the seventh and singled to score the go-ahead run in the eighth and Turner reached base three times, including on a single that scored an insurance run.

In Game 2, Schwarber hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the fifth and Turner reached base three more times, including on a run-scoring single.

Schwarber and Turner batted a combined .389 (7-for-18) with one double, two home runs, seven RBIs and two walks in the doubleheader.

“When you can get guys on base for the middle of the lineup, that’s what you’re looking forward to,” Schwarber said. “When you can get guys on with [Nick Castellanos], [Bryce Harper], J.T. [Realmuto] -- let them thrive on those situations. If that’s a hit for them, the next thing, you’re getting [Alec] Bohm up there, [Brandon Marsh], you’re getting those guys up there with guys on base, too.

“Heck, if we keep doing that, we keep putting constant pressure on guys.”

The top two hitters in the Phillies’ lineup entered Saturday ranked last in baseball with a combined .292 on-base percentage, the team’s lowest mark from those spots since 1971 (.289).

It explains a lot of the Phillies’ offensive struggles this season. But Thomson has stuck to Schwarber-Turner, just like he stuck to Schwarber and Rhys Hoskins last season. Both struggled at times. Both got off to slow starts in the postseason. But both caught fire in Game 3 of the NLDS and helped the Phillies reach the World Series.

Thomson’s faith was rewarded.

He believes it will be rewarded again.

“We’ve won a lot with him in the leadoff spot,” Thomson said about Schwarber. “He does walk. He sees a lot of pitches. And he’s a threat as soon as the game starts. I think at times, it puts the opposing pitcher on his heels a little bit.”

Schwarber is batting .189 with 24 home runs, 54 RBIs and a .755 OPS this season. He has a .322 on-base percentage and an .828 OPS since June 2. Turner is batting .249 with 10 home runs, 34 RBIs and a .690 OPS. He has a .349 on-base percentage and a .779 OPS since June 5.

“I feel good,” Schwarber said. “I keep making adjustments here and there. I’m going to keep the work in the cage going and go out there and compete in the game. You’re going to make some in-game adjustments, but nothing drastic. It’s more going out there and competing.”

The Phillies trailed the Padres, 4-3, in the eighth inning of Game 1, largely because Turner had made a behind-the-back flip to Edmundo Sosa at second base with two outs in the second inning. Sosa dropped the ball, keeping the inning alive and leading to a three-run home run.

Bryson Stott hustled to reach base on an error to start the eighth. Statcast tracked Stott’s sprint speed at 29.8 feet per second, which is just shy of elite (30 feet per second). Brandon Marsh’s one-out single put runners at the corners, thanks again to Stott’s aggressive baserunning.

Harper pinch-hit for Johan Rojas, who was making his Major League debut. Rojas made a fantastic catch at the right-center-field wall in the first inning, then threw out Ha-Seong Kim at first base for an outfield assist. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Rojas was the first Phillies player to get an outfield assist in his MLB debut since Jackie Mayo on Sept. 19, 1948.

“It was incredible,” Rojas said through the team’s interpreter. “It was the second batter of the game. The excitement from the fans was amazing. It was a pretty special moment.”

Rojas picked up three hits and two RBIs in Game 2.

Harper hit a chopper to Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who threw to first. Stott scored the tying run as Harper beat the throw. Harper later homered in Game 2. It was his first homer since May 25, snapping a career-high 166 consecutive plate appearances without a homer.

Schwarber followed with his go-ahead single to center. Turner followed him with the single that scored the insurance run.

Harper, Schwarber, Turner -- this was how the Phillies drew it up before the season started.