PHILADELPHIA -- Jordan Romano is pitching like the guy the Phillies hoped he could be.
He struck out the side in a perfect ninth inning in the Phillies’ 2-1 victory over the Cardinals in Game 1 of Wednesday’s split doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park. It snapped St. Louis’ nine-game winning streak.
Romano has not allowed a run in six innings in his last six appearances, picking up three saves along the way. It is an important development in the Phillies’ long-term goal of winning a World Series.
“It always feels good when you’re contributing to wins,” Romano said. “I’m just kind of feeling more like myself out there, not pressing as much, just kind of being me.”
Romano had a 13.50 ERA in his first 11 appearances after signing a one-year, $8.5 million contract with the Phillies in December.
It was disappointing. It was frustrating.
He was getting booed.
There was a mechanical adjustment that he made early in the season which seemed to help. But then he allowed six runs in two-thirds of an inning against the lowly Marlins on April 19. It was so bad that Romano wondered if he might have been tipping his pitches.
“That was an interesting game,” he said. “I’m not sure. I could have been. Maybe not. You know what I mean? When you have a bad outing, you want to be like, ‘Oh, I was tipping.’ But it could’ve just been one of those crazy outings. I’m not really sure.”
But things have been better lately. Romano has helped stabilize a bullpen that lost Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez in the offseason.
“Command is definitely getting a little better,” Romano said. “The slider shape [and] depth has been getting there, kind of where I want it to be. So yeah, just a combination of those two things kind of helping out right now.”
Romano struck out Iván Herrera swinging on a 2-2 slider, Nolan Gorman swinging on a 1-2 fastball and Alec Burleson swinging on an 0-2 slider to end the game.
Is the improved slider a matter of improved mechanics?
“The slider, for me, is more feel,” Romano said. “It’s like finger placement, stuff like that. I’ve been working on trying to get a little more depth, a little more late break. It’s more just hand positioning than mechanics, I’d say.”
The Phillies carried a 2-1 lead into the eighth inning following run-scoring hits from Bryson Stott and Bryce Harper.
Phillies left-hander José Alvarado started the eighth. He had runners on second and third with one out when Phillies manager Rob Thomson brought Orion Kerkering into the game to face Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado.
Kerkering got Arenado to pop out in foul territory. He struck out Willson Contreras looking on a 3-2 sinker to end the inning.
Kerkering, like Romano, also has been inconsistent this season. He had a 5.56 ERA after his first 13 appearances, but he has allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings in his past six.
“He’s got some of the best stuff in the league,” Romano said. “Coming into that spot today, seeing him get those two big outs, it kind of pumps up the boys, you know? When I see him get that last strikeout, it kind of pumps me up. I feel like we’re just trying to keep that going.”