Stott, Realmuto, Rojas homer for NL wild card-leading Phillies in 13-2 win over Twins
Trea Turner is heating up in time for the stretch run. Nick Castellanos has busted out of a post-All-Star game funk with a 12-game hitting streak. Yes, the Phillies' offense is definitely back.
Bryson Stott and J.T. Realmuto hit back-to-back home runs, Johan Rojas hit his first big-league homer, and Philadelphia scored six runs in the second inning without the ailing Bryce Harper to beat the Minnesota Twins 13-2 on Friday night.
Harper sat out a day after the two-time NL MVP was sidelined by mid-back spasms. There was some good news for the NL champion Phillies as they try to keep the top spot in the wild-card race: Harper is day to day and shouldn't miss much time.
He could afford to rest against the Twins.
An offense that slumbered through such a slow start that the Phillies didn't get over .500 to stay until mid-June is suddenly tearing it up.
"It has to turn at some point," manager Rob Thomson said. "I've been saying all along the offense is going to get going. And it is, finally. We're really having great at-bats."
The Phillies roughed up Twins starter Dallas Keuchel (0-1) for six runs over just 1 2/3 innings, small-balling him out of the game in the second.
Stott, J.T. Realmuto, Kyle Schwarber and Turner, who has a hit in eight straight games since Phillies fans started cheering the slumping shortstop, all had RBI hits in the inning — and all the runs were scored in the second without a long ball. Castellanos had two hits in the frame and his hit streak is a season best.
"I mean, kinda feels like we ran into a buzz saw here," Keuchel said.
The rally was out of the norm for the Phillies in the eighth game of a 10-game homestand. Through the first seven games, the Phillies hit 18 home runs. That matched the franchise's highest total over a seven-game span at home since 1901.
The homers came eventually, and the Phillies (65-52) moved a season-best 13 games over .500.
Stott hit his 11th homer of the season and Realmuto followed with his 15th in the sixth inning for an 11-2 lead. Rojas hit a two-run shot in the eighth off Twins outfielder Jordan Luplow that made it 13-2.
"Probably one of the best games of the year," Stott said.
Minnesota lost its fourth straight but maintained its 3 1/2-game lead over Cleveland in the weak AL Central.
The Phillies beat up on Kansas City and Washington to fatten their grip on a wild-card berth. Against the Twins, the Phillies finished with 15 hits and moved to 6-2 on the homestand.
Cristopher Sánchez (1-3) got plenty of run support to secure his first win since Aug. 24, 2022. He allowed back-to-back homers to Jorge Polanco and Max Kepler in the second inning, his only runs allowed over six innings.
Philadelphia scored 15 total runs in Sánchez 's five starts in July. The Phillies scored nine in his first August start last week against Kansas City and never gave the Twins much of a chance in this one.
"There was a time there we relying on our guys to keep it at 2-0, 3-0, whatever it may be," Stott said. "It just gives us a chance with the offense that we have and the hitters that are in this lineup to kind of take the pressure off them. Some of the pitches they might have thrown the last couple days aren't as pressure-packed."
EEPHUS PITCH
Rojas connected on a pitch from Luplow that was recorded at 47.5 mph.
Luplow provided some levity in the late innings when he imitated Phillies reliever Craig Kimbrel's unusual pitching stance with one arm on his hip and the other arm dangled at a 90-degree angle.
Schwarber cracked to the rookie outfielder, "They all count."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: LHP José Alvarado (left elbow inflammation) will begin a rehab stint next week with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He has a 1.38 ERA in 26 games this season but hasn't pitched since July 6. ... Schwarber left the game in the seventh inning with a contusion after he fouled a ball off his left foot. Thomson said Schwarber would be evaluated Saturday.
UP NEXT
The Twins send RHP Pablo Lopez (7-6, 3.81 ERA) to the mound against Phillies RHP Taijuan Walker (13-4, 3.98).