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Vince Velasquez’s strong outing went under the radar in Phillies’ lopsided victory | Extra Innings

Rhys Hoskins had two hits in one game for the first time since July 24 and Velasquez pitched five strong innings in a 12-3 win over the Pirates.

Phillies starter Vince Velasquez stopped a line drive off the bat of the Pirates' Kevin Newman, hitting it with his glove and making the catch with his bare hand, during the first inning Wednesday night.
Phillies starter Vince Velasquez stopped a line drive off the bat of the Pirates' Kevin Newman, hitting it with his glove and making the catch with his bare hand, during the first inning Wednesday night.Read moreTOM GRALISH / Staff Photographer

Rhys Hoskins said he did not change a thing about his approach in the batter’s box Wednesday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but plenty of things did change for the Phillies’ struggling first baseman.

He tripled off Pirates starter Mitch Keller to lead off the bottom of the second inning and later scored his team’s first run, triggering a 12-3 rout that allowed the Phillies to take the series from their cross-state rival.

It was the second straight year the Phillies won the season series against the Pirates. It was also the first time since Pittsburgh left the National League East after the 1993 season that the Phillies won both series the teams played in back-to-back seasons.

Hoskins might not have changed anything about his technique, but he did admit to getting a haircut and manager Gabe Kapler put him back in the cleanup spot for the first time since Aug. 4. Kapler had first asked Hoskins if he wanted a day off. The Phillies first baseman contributed an RBI double in the third inning, giving him his first two-hit game since July 24 at Detroit and his first two-hit game at home since July 15 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Phils remained two games behind the Cubs for the second wild card because Chicago beat the Mets for a second straight night at Citi Field.

You’re signed up to get this newsletter in your inbox every weekday during the Phillies season. If you like what you’re reading, tell your friends it’s free to sign up here. I want to know what you think, what we should add, and what you want to read, so send me feedback by email or on Twitter @brookob. Thank you for reading.

— Bob Brookover (extrainnings@inquirer.com)

Vince Velasquez rebounds from Miami meltdown with a solid start

Hoskins’ two extra-base hits were the most welcome sight for the Phillies in their win over the Pirates, but mark down Vince Velasquez’s performance on the mound as a close second on the list of good things that happened Wednesday.

The last time we had seen Velasquez, he squandered a 7-0 lead against the Marlins in Miami during a 19-11 loss that is the leader in the clubhouse for the Phillies’ worst defeat of the season.

Velasquez allowed seven third-inning runs in that game, but he rebounded against the Pirates with a solid performance. He did allow two runs in the fourth when he gave up a single to Starling Marte and All-Star Josh Bell jumped on a first-pitch fastball over the middle of the plate for a two-run homer. It was Bell’s 34th homer of the season.

To his credit, Velasquez responded by retiring six of the final seven hitters he faced and his teammates tacked on five runs in the fifth to put the game away.

“Vince is doing a good job keeping us in games and giving our offense a chance to score runs,” Kapler said. “He’s feeling pretty confident right now. His delivery looks smooth and easy. It doesn’t look like there’s too much effort out there for him, either. He was landing breaking balls for strikes more tonight. He did miss a couple of times. It wasn’t a perfect outing, but he’s keeping us in games and giving us a chance to win.”

That’s actually true. In six of his last seven starts, he has gone at least five innings and allowed three earned runs or fewer six times and two earned runs or fewer four times. Excluding the Marlins’ meltdown, he has a 3.24 ERA in his other six starts since July 24.

That, of course, does not make him a staff ace, but the Phillies will have to settle for rotation competency whenever they can get it right now.

Kapler opted to remove Velasquez for a pinch hitter if the fifth inning even though he had thrown only 75 pitches and the Phillies had an 8-2 lead.

“I think it was the right time to get Vince out of that game,” Kapler said. “He had gone through that lineup for a third time, particularly with those monsters in the middle swinging the bat really well. Marte. Bell. All of the guys in the middle of their lineup.”

The rundown

Slumping Rhys Hoskins made it clear Tuesday night that he did not think a day off was the cure for his sinking batting average. As Scott Lauber writes, Hoskins backed up his assertion with a triple and a double in the Phillies’ lopsided win over the Pirates. Hoskins did his damage out of his old familiar cleanup spot after spending three weeks at first or second in the order.

Looking for a measuring stick for Kapler’s never-too-hot, never-too-cold Phillies? Columnist Bob Ford believes the New York Mets will provide exactly that when they come to Citizens Bank Park for the start of a three-game series Friday night.

Sean Rodriguez offered an olive branch to Phillies fans after they booed him again during a pinch-hitting appearance Wednesday night.

The Arizona Fall League should be worth watching for Phillies fans this offseason with top prospects Spencer Howard, Alec Bohm and Mickey Moniak scheduled to play for the Scottsdale Scorpions.

Here’s a look at the Phillies’ win Wednesday night through the lens of photographer Tom Gralish.

Important dates

Today: The Phillies are off, but Cubs at Mets is worth watching.

Tomorrow: Aaron Nola faces Zack Wheeler in series opener vs. Mets, 7:05 p.m.

Saturday: Jason Vargas goes against Steven Matz and his former team, 4:05 p.m.

Sunday: Zach Eflin takes on Marcus Stroman on ESPN, 7:05 p.m.

Monday: Labor Day matinee at Cincinnati, 2:10 p.m.

Stat of the day

Courtesy of Jim Hogan from the Phillies’ media relations department, here are a bunch of interesting offensive stats about catcher J.T. Realmuto after his three-hit game against the Pirates that included a triple and his 20th home run of the season.

* He became the first Phillies catcher to collect a triple and a home run in the same game since Mike Lieberthal on May 22, 1999.

* He is the first Phillie to primarily play catcher and hit 20 homers in a season since Mike Lieberthal hit 31 home runs in 1999.

* His 54 extra-base hits this year match his career high set last season.

* His 11 doubles and six home runs this month are both his most ever in a calendar month.

* In 397 games and 1,617 plate appearances away from Marlins Park, he has hit .301 with a .349 on-base percentage and .494 slugging percentage, giving him an .843 OPS.

From the mailbag

Send questions by email or on Twitter @brookob.

Question: Matt, During this up and down and often extremely frustrating year my biggest concern is not whether we will grab the last Wild Card slot, but whether we can keep J.T. Realmuto. If we have this same kind of frustrating year next year I would guess he will sort through the huge offers and go play for a winner. For the 2021 season he will definitely be among the top five most sought after free agents. What do you and Scott think?

— Everett S., via email

Answer: First of all, Everett, thanks for the email even though my feelings are deeply hurt since you seem to care only about what Matt and Scott think about the Realmuto free-agent issue.

With the Phillies’ All-Star catcher being eligible for free agency after next season, the Phillies still have time to prove they are a contending team. Although it has been easy to forget sometimes, they are actually a playoff contender right now and I believe they will strengthen their pitching staff this offseason. I also know that owner John Middleton has a special admiration for Realmuto, and I’d be shocked if he let the catcher get away.