Baseball’s biggest surprise over the first month-and-a-half of the 2016 regular season has yet to come back to earth.
The Philadelphia Phillies, supposedly in rebuilding mode, improved to 22-15 on Saturday in spectacular fashion.
Cincinnati’s Adam Duvall hit a one-out RBI double to bring the Reds to within one run at 4-3 and moved Eugenio Suarez to third. Pinch-hitter Jordan Pacheco then lifted a fly ball to Philly left fielder Tyler Goeddel. Suarez tagged and attempted to score, but Goeddel’s throw to the plate was perfect. Catcher Cameron Rupp caught it, absorbed a collision with Suarez, held on to the ball and made the tag to end the game.
The Reds challenged, contending that Rupp had blocked the plate. But after review, the call was confirmed.
No words. Just watch.https://t.co/IBxv4CyNur
— Phillies (@Phillies) May 15, 2016
The @Phillies are now 14-3 in 1-run games. That’s the best such record in modern era: https://t.co/DPuXsn3pgN pic.twitter.com/A2Vg5jmB4G
— Baseball Reference (@baseball_ref) May 15, 2016
The Phils are seven games over .500 for first time since final day of 2011 regular season. They also moved into second place — ahead of the New York Mets and just one game behind the Washington Nationals.
Starter Aaron Nola was solid yet again, allowing just one earned run, five hits, one walk and striking out nine.
