September 20, 2024

Trea Turner in line with Rob Thomson’s decision to keep things as they were

Turner #Turner

PHILADELPHIA — Trea Turner feels Rob Thomson’s Game 7 approach in this series of sticking with what had worked prior to their losing three of the last four games with the Diamondbacks was right on the mark.

“Personally, Turner said before the final game Tuesday, “I like it a lot. In a seven-game series when you kind of feel matchups coming, you know a lefty is going to go for the top of the order, and then if you are (Alec Bohm), you’re getting a right-hander. So you can kind of mentally prepare for more at-bats, I feel like. So in a seven-game series I think it helps a lot.

“I also think it gives everybody confidence,” he added. “We believe in ourselves. This is the lineup that got us here for the most part. We just need one more win to move on. Keep doing our thing, keep competing. And we have a good lineup. I think sometimes you can make adjustments and sometimes you can overreact, but I believe in all our guys, one through nine, whoever is in there.”

There was much fan and media criticism of Thomson leaving the lineup intact, especially concerning using Alec Bohm in a cleanup role. Bohm had an immediate answer Tuesday night with a second-inning home run. And in the fourth, he walked and scored from first on Bryson Stott’s ensuing double.

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The Phillies fared very poorly against Diamondbacks starter Brandon Pfaadt in Game 3 in Phoenix. The D-backs righty went two outs deep into the sixth inning, allowing no runs and but two hits while striking out nine Phillies.

On the postseason, Pfaadt entered Game 7 of this series having pitched two outstanding games in a row, going 4.1 innings against the Dodgers on Oct. 11, and again giving up no runs and only two hits.

But in a playoff game against Milwaukee the week before, Pfaadt gave up three runs and seven hits in only 2.2 innings of work. This after a regular season in which he went 3-9 with a 5.72 ERA in 19 appearances (18 starts).

That after starting the season in the minors, going back and forth for a while and finally hooking on as a fifth starter as the season grew long. Some adjustments in his windup have apparently worked wonders for Pfaadt.

At least it looked that way in Game 3.

“I think it was a combination of facing him for the first time. He has kind of a unique pitch mix with his windup,” Turner said. “He just executed really well. We rewatched the game, and have at-bats running through the batting cages to see pitches and stuff. And it seemed like everything was hit in a corner or just missing off, and not a lot of pitches in the zone. Sometimes you have to tip your cap toward guys that make pitches, and he made a lot of pitches.”

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NOTES >> Rob Thomson on an upcoming World Series with two wild card teams in it, no matter how the NLCS turned out, and whether there’s an advantage for wild card round teams that keep playing rather than wait for second round: “Last year we won that series in St. Louis, and we just got on kind of a roll. … I think that people believe in us a little bit more this year than they did last year, but we have a good club, and Arizona has a good club. And anything can happen in a playoffs. Short series, guys get hot, pitchers get hot.” But? “I’m not sure if any of that being a wild card team gives you any type of advantage getting deep in the postseason,” Thomson concluded. … Managers Thomson and Torey Lovullo each confirmed before the game that Zack Wheeler and Zac Gallen, the starters for Games 1 and 5, were each available for bullpen duty in Game 7 if needed. … John Kruk threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

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