Field Level Media
Apr 19, 2018
Jake Arrieta allowed just one hit and fanned 10 in seven dominant innings Thursday night as the Philadelphia Phillies blanked the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates 7-0 at Citizens Bank Park.
Arrieta (2-0) walked two in his 97-pitch outing before giving way to Yacksel Rios in the eighth. He gave up his only hit when Francisco Cervelli beat out an infield single in the second. Arrieta's 10 punchouts were four more than he managed in his first two starts combined.
Rios gave up one hit in a scoreless inning, and Victor Arano tossed a perfect ninth to complete a two-hit shutout.
Jameson Taillon (2-1) looked nothing like the guy who sailed through his first three starts while yielding only two runs over 20 1/3 innings. Taillon failed to make it out of a five-run second Thursday, giving up all the runs on four hits and two walks while whiffing three.
Trouble found Taillon with the inning's first hitter. Rhys Hoskins rifled a 3-2 fastball just inside the left field foul pole for his third homer, the ball leaving the bat at more than 109 mph. Nick Williams walked, Scott Kingery was hit by a pitch and J.P. Crawford legged out an infield hit to fill the bases.
Strikeouts of Jorge Alfaro and Arrieta left Taillon within an out of escaping with just one run. However, Cesar Hernandez cleared the bases with his 500th career hit, a rare three-run single to right-center. Crawford was running with the full-count pitch and slid home easily as Pittsburgh was caught unaware of his dash around the bases.
After Carlos Santana walked, Odubel Herrera's RBI single to left scored Hernandez and sent Taillon to an early shower.
The Phillies scored their other runs in the fifth. Herrera contributed his second run-scoring single to plate Santana, and Crawford cashed in Herrera with an RBI single.
Herrera, Hernandez and Crawford each bagged two hits in the winning effort. Santana found his way on base three times, thanks to a pair of walks. Philadelphia won despite striking out 16 times.
The result dropped the Pirates to 12-7, although they still lead the National League Central. The Phillies are now 11-7.
--Field Level Media