Castellanos powers Phillies to 8-4 win over Blue Jays
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nick Castellanos went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-4 on Tuesday night.
Aaron Nola (3-2) allowed two runs on five hits over six innings to win his third straight decision. Brandon Marsh had a two-run double in the eighth inning and Alec Bohm had two hits for the Phillies, who have won two straight after snapping a six-game skid.
Bo Bichette hit his eighth homer of the season for Toronto, which had swept a three-game set at Pittsburgh over the weekend. Alek Manoah (1-3) allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings, throwing 94 pitches and getting only three swing-and-miss strikes.
Castellanos struggled in the first year of his five-year, $100 million contract with Philadelphia in 2022. His batting average dropped from .309 in 2021 with Cincinnati to .263, and he hit only 13 homers a year after hitting 34.
He has looked like his old self thus far this year. His batting average (.317) and slugging and on-base percentages are up substantially.
Castellanos turned on a fourth-inning fastball from Manoah and deposited it just inside the left-field foul pole for his fifth homer of the season, a two-run shot that put Philadelphia ahead 2-1.
Bryson Stott, Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto and Edmundo Sosa also drove in runs for the Phillies.
Kevin Kiermaier had two hits and scored twice for Toronto.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Blue Jays: OF George Springer was not in the lineup with a viral illness. He pinch-hit for Daulton Varsho in the seventh inning and struck out. RHP Adam Cimber threw a bullpen session Tuesday as he recovers from a right rhomboid strain that placed him on the injured list on April 24.
Phillies: OF Kyle Schwarber left the game with a left foot contusion after he fouled a ball off it in the sixth inning. X-rays were negative. RHP Ranger Suarez will make his first major league start of 2023 this weekend in Colorado, manager Rob Thomson said. Suarez — projected as Philadelphia's No. 3 starter — has been sidelined since the last week of spring training with a left elbow strain. Andrew Painter, the organization's top pitching prospect, was seen by doctors and continued his throwing program in Philadelphia. Painter was shut down after his first spring training started with a UCL strain in his right arm.
UP NEXT
The teams wrap up their two-game series on Wednesday. The Phillies will start RHP Zack Wheeler (3-2, 4.26 ERA) against Toronto RHP Kevin Gausman (2-3, 3.86).