Schwarber, Sanchez lead Phillies to sweep of Blue Jays | Phillies Postgame Live

Phillies take the two games up in Toronto. They've now won nine of their last 11 games. We welcome you here to Phillies Postgame Live. Brought to you by Cure Auto Insurance Amy Fadool alongside Ricky Bottalico and Ben Davis. And it was a little bit interesting because we've seen them win games in a variety of ways. Last night. Obviously a huge comeback. Today they get off to the start thanks to Kyle Schwarber, Ben and a bit of a lull. And then JT with a little bit of insurance. Is it good to win different ways for this team? Without a doubt. They can't always rely on the long ball or the although they did that today. But Christopher Sanchez, the way he was able to settle down was just did a phenomenal job. You're thinking after that first inning, three doubles in a row. You're thinking, son of a gun. This is going to keep going and going. But they're able to, you know, pull through. And that was my best Michael Barkann by the way. You're thinking it's going to be okay, but, Christopher Sanchez able to right the ship and get things back on track. And it was a good performance all the way around. I almost don't know what to say after that, but it was very good. Hold on. Here There it is. So it was very it was very good to see. And this team, four series in a row that they've won. They have to beat the teams that are technically below them in the standings. And they did that. This team seems to be doing what they need to do at the right time. Ricky yeah, they're doing the little things. I mean, if you watch, it's very simple to watch both teams when you're watching a game. If you watch both teams, you look at, you look at the Blue Jays and kind of going through the motions. That's what it looks like to me. Their bullpen absolutely stinks. That is one of the worst bullpens I've ever seen. They can't throw strikes. That's a big problem. But I mean yesterday I mean chasing down baseballs, they weren't really hustling after things. Their defense, they probably should have had three errors last night. But Major League Baseball gives everything a hit now. But when you look at the Phillies now, all of a sudden you got a bullpen that's throwing the daylights out of it. And that to me may have been is one of the most important things that the Phillies need needed to get going again. Obviously, what three weeks ago those guys were all all down in the dumps. They weren't feeling very good about themselves. Now all of a sudden they're starting to ramp back up and it looks like these guys are ready to pitch in playoff baseball games now. So I think that that's a huge positive. Christopher Sanchez I mean, you go out there, you're giving up missile after missile in the first inning, and you got to be thinking to yourself, this is not going to be my day. I mean, he he pitches through some adversity very well. I mean, a lot of guys may have folded in that type of situation. You give up three straight doubles in the first and he only gives up one run. You know, you tip your cap to him. It was another win for the Phillies. Let's go back up to Toronto and check in with Ruben Amaro Jr. Ruben. We've seen this team. You know, pull victory from the jaws of defeat today. These are one of these games sometimes especially the way the blue Jays are. You know as Ricky was talking about not the best team that they're going to see. Not the best conditioned team, not the most well-rounded team. It's important to beat those teams, though, if you're going to try to really kind of assert yourself in the final month of the season, right? There's no question about it. I mean, you got to win the games that you should win. And again, it's very tough to win baseball games when you're on the road. But, nice job by the Phillies of kind of staying with it. I know that there was a little inauspicious start there after they scored a run and again they came back and the Blue Jays got ahead in the bottom of the first inning, but they grinded it out. And Christopher Sanchez made a tremendous adjustment in the early part of the game. And it was really noticed by JT. And once he made that adjustment, he was rolling. Ruben Kyle Schwarber. What else do you have to say? I mean, this guy steps up there today. Another two hits for him. The home run makes a nice play out in left field. He was kind of the total package today wasn't he? He was the total package. There are very few total packages out there, but he's certainly one of them. I mean, his leadership is, is a huge part of it. But I think part of that also is, is him what he's doing as a leadoff man, he's not only is he is he creating a lot of angst for the pitcher in the early part of the game because he can put you up one nothing immediately, but he also is getting on base a lot and scoring runs. We talked about it during the broadcast that, he's not your prototypical leadoff guy, but he puts so much pressure on the pitcher because he's got to be sharp right out of the chute. If he's not, then then he's going to make you pay. And he certainly has done that the last couple of days. Ruben you look at Jeff Hoffman, he's got a 1.82 ERA. He's got 19 holds on the on the season. This guy has been a godsend for the Philadelphia Phillies the last couple of seasons. You know, this was his third or fourth organization. How does someone like this just kind of slip through the cracks. And then he finds himself in Philadelphia. Well, he's a first rounder. There's no question that he always had the talent. He just, with some injuries and some other issues that went on. I mean, it's just sometimes it just takes guys a little bit longer. And I think sometimes when you have certain body types, if you're long and lean, it takes you some time to, to get a feel for how you can be mechanically sound on a daily basis. I think he's done a great job. You got to give him a lot of credit. I'm sure the people at, that have been working with him with the Phillies have, have given him the confidence and also the tools to get his mechanics to the point where he's throwing consistent strikes and he's trusting himself. Man, he really believes in himself. It's one of those questions, you know, what's first, your confidence or your success. And he's had some success. It's creating confidence for him. And he's doing a heck of a job. Yes he is. And this team is rolling right now. Talk about that magic number down to 17. Reuben thanks so much. Safe travels. We'll talk to you tomorrow. See you guys. They are off to Miami, but not before completing the two game midweek sweep of the Blue Jays. And that gives them now the seven and a half game lead over Atlanta. The Braves do play later tonight. As I mentioned the magic number is 17. And now you look at it four straight series wins seven and a half. Keep pushing I mean that's all they need to do. You win series outright. You're going to be you're going to be in the playoffs. You're going to win the division. And you will be one of those top two wild cards. And that's the most important thing we learned that in the Pregame show. We were talking about it. The Brewers lost last night. So it's a game and a half lead as far as the second best record in the National League. That is really what they're really looking for I think the division okay. Yes, that's all well and good. But what you want to avoid that third place finish. Yeah. Because we've seen what the Phillies have done in that that wild card, that first matchup able to beat the Cardinals in 0-2 and then or in 22. And then obviously you match up last year and go on and beat the Braves. I mean this is something that it's been, you know, something that they're really gearing for coming out of spring training. They wanted to win the National League East and they're well on their way to that hopefully. But to be able to avoid that first series rest, some guys give their arms. These guys are eating up a lot of innings. Sanchez another seven innings today I mean he's way over his limit from previous years. And you get these guys a breather and let them rest a little bit. It's only going to help them out in the long run. Oh speaking of Christopher Sanchez he is the subject of our Eye on the Mound, brought to you by PGW and Ricky. You're talking about this earlier. Yes. He, you know, was a little bit dicey in that first inning. You're thinking, oh. But then he settled in. He did. He really settled in. I think the one thing you got to love about him is he's just got the guts to continue going out there and continue to believe that he's going to make his pitches. You give up three doubles in a row, and trust me, a lot of doubt starts getting into your mind, especially when it's sitting in the in the first inning. And this may have been a big thing. I'm not really sure what JT said to him, but JT knows knows what's going on. He probably saw something mechanically. He probably came out there and said, look, here's what I need you to do. I need you to finish this and do this. And he comes right back out, and he ends up getting out of the inning with just one run, or just those two runs in and you know what? When that happens, you kind of almost boost yourself up a little bit. And then he kind of got on one of these rolls where he was making his pitches on the inside part of the plate. The changeup was outstanding. Today seven swings and misses on his changeup to go along with 13 total in this game. So I mean he got back to the groove he needed to be in and that's that's what's important here. He got back mechanically to where he needed to be. He got he was throwing 97 in the seventh inning. Yeah. And I think this talk that JT had I mean you go out there he had 13 swings and misses eight ground outs. That's that is typical Christopher Sanchez. But JT goes out there and talks to him and says hey man you have to get some more extension if you're cutting the baseball. So if you're left handed and you start throwing pitches on the inside part with your changeup, you're not getting that good extension. He's got that great changeup that kind of you can feather it away from a righty or it has almost like a split finger action. It goes straight down. But to be able to do what he did today, 96 pitches through seven, 72 strikes, that is filling up the strike zone. But JT went out. He got to get that good extension. Almost like you're trying to reach out and hand it to the catcher. And that's when you get guys out in front a little bit more as opposed to coming across. That's when you cut that changeup. And that is not Christopher Sanchez. You got to think he has not pitched really well on the road, so he had to wonder if that was getting in his skull a little bit early on. But I mean, you know what Exorcize the demons and he did. Well, we saw it. I know they talked about Tom did on the broadcast. Phillies are now 32 and one when their starters go seven or more innings. I mean, that's remarkable. 32 and 132 and one this this team. I will tell you this much. And this is one thing I love about this Phillies team this year, is that these guys know how to pitch. They're not those analytical throwers out there trying to throw a ball. 105 miles an hour. These guys take what they could, what they can use, and they move the ball around. And I think I mean, I think it's been beneficial to this whole staff. I mean, you think about Johnny Holl staff right now, the one guy throwing the hardest, I believe, is Christopher Sanchez right now. Yeah he's throwing rest of the I just love that they're pitching to contact. Yeah it's I trust my stuff. Here it is. Hit it. I'm going to trust my late move. And I'm going to trust my location. And I'm going to get early outs. That's why these guys are so able to go deep into the ballgames, because they're getting that second pitch, ground ball, third pitch, ground ball. And that is that is huge for these guys. You're going to save the bullpen obviously. And also you keep your defense alert and on their toes. And it's just it's just a win win situation for everybody. Well it's also win win when you've got Kyle Schwarber leading things off. Much has been talked about over the years about this guy being the leadoff. I think the argument was it's better to start one nothing than a man on. And he did it once again. Second pitch he saw he had three homers yesterday. That gives him four home runs in 24 hours. Less than really when you think about it as he led things off, I mean, what Ben, what else can you say about this guy? Well, I can say that there's no way that ball only went 416ft. That's for sure. Crushed. He almost looked at the ball and said, sorry, like I hit that. That thing had to be dented. Had to be I look, look Kelly Davis right there. He's loving it. He's trotting around. I mean, this guy, it is he gets he goes on these these binges and he's unstoppable. Yeah. And the whole thing about him not being a leadoff for all those people out there that still believe in , I just think it's I think it's an absolute joke. The guy's got a 371 OBP to go along with, what, 32? Yeah, 32 home runs and 89 RBIs. I think he's doing okay at the top of the lineup. So you can see this. He's tied Alfonso Soriano for 13 lead off home runs in a single season. The next one will put him alone in that list. Remarkable. Alfonso Soriano is on this list twice. You can see there 13 and then 12. And this is what he did against the Blue Jays. He enjoys the seeing them. Just a cool 778, seven hits and nine at bats, seven RBI and yeah, four home runs. That's a that's a I mean, that's a nice board to have if you could have it. I guess I mean seven right. No right. Can't play the Blue Jays every day. But this is a guy that tends to go on these runs. And obviously three home runs in a single game is a little much. But you guys talked about it. There's expectation now that he's going to be able to be that guy now in September. We know June's usually his month. Can he continue this then why not I don't I don't see any reason why not. But the problem that the opposition is going to run into is you think you have him patterned. And he did go into a funk where he was striking out a little bit more than he wanted to, but once he goes on these, I don't know how you say it. Call it his bender, the way he's going on right now. But my gosh, he is just it's there's no way you can't pattern him. You can't pitch to him because he's got the swing is so grooved. It's like when you're on the golf course, you're not even thinking just up there, keeping your head down and swinging the golf club. That's the way he is in the batter's box right now, because he is just in that groove where everything is bad, is flat to the baseball. He's saying, so well balanced. We talked about it in the Pregame show. You just just know one way to because then you think, okay, he's hitting balls to right field, I'll go away. Look what