Cristian Pache gave the struggling Philadelphia Phillies’ offense a much-needed lift.
And he didn’t even enter the game until the eighth inning.
Pache’s walk-off single to right field in the bottom of the 10th propelled Philadelphia to a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Monday.
The Phillies will look for another victory when they host the Rockies on Tuesday evening.
“We’ve got to continue with the positive vibes in the clubhouse,” Pache said in a postgame interview on NBC Sports Philadelphia. “That will lead us to win more games.”
Bryson Stott had two of the six hits for Philadelphia. Several Phillies have continued to scuffle at the plate, as Bryce Harper (.197), Nick Castellanos (.177) and Johan Rojas (.175) are hitting below .200.
Enter Pache.
“It’s the first of many hopefully with the Phillies,” Pache said of his walk-off hit.
“It was great. It really was,” manager Rob Thomson added of Pache.
Eventually, this offense will need to produce if the Phillies harbor aspirations of a deep playoff run and ultimately a World Series title.
“We’re finding ways to win,” Thomson said. “We’re getting great pitching. Hopefully, that keeps going. … Right now, we’re grinding and finding ways to win. That’s a good sign.”
The Phillies will hand the ball to left-hander Ranger Suarez (2-0, 2.65 ERA) on Tuesday. Suarez is 1-0 with a 3.32 ERA in four career games (three starts) against the Rockies.
The Phillies’ Alec Bohm was held out of the starting lineup on Monday, although he did appear as a pinch hitter in the 10th and grounded out.
The Rockies will aim to snap a three-game losing streak on Tuesday.
Not only did the Rockies drop a tough one-run decision to the Phillies, they looked as if they might have lost left-handed starting pitcher Kyle Freeland to a right shoulder injury. Freeland entered the game as a pinch runner in the ninth inning and was tagged out at home as he crashed into Phillies reliever Jeff Hoffman at the plate.
“Kyle’s fine,” manager Bud Black said postgame.
The Rockies began the night short-handed, as second baseman Brendan Rodgers was scratched with an illness and replaced with Alan Trejo. Rodgers went 4-for-11 with three RBIs and two runs in the weekend series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Kris Bryant also was held out with back soreness. He has been plagued with injuries since signing a seven-year contract before the 2022 season.
“I don’t think this is an injured-list situation,” Black said of Bryant.
Former Phillie Jake Cave also is battling an illness.
Michael Toglia hit a solo home run and Elias Diaz had two of the five hits for the Rockies, who had a thin bench with only backup catcher Jacob Stallings available.
Colorado went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left five men on base. The lack of offensive production has been an issue in the Rockies’ 4-13 start.
“It was a tough one,” Black said. “But it was a well-played game by both sides.”
Austin Gomber (0-0, 4.91 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Rockies on Tuesday. In his most recent start, he allowed two runs on six hits in six innings in his team’s 5-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday.
Gomber is 0-1 with a 4.73 ERA in three career games (two starts) against the Phillies.
–Field Level Media