PHILADELPHIA -- A win is a win … but some wins are certainly wilder than others.
That was certainly the case in the Phillies’ 7-6 walk-off victory over the Nationals. It was Philadelphia’s first walk-off wild pitch win since April 26, 1993 -- and that was far from the craziest thing that happened on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park.
“That was a crazy game,” said Phillies manager Rob Thomson. “It really was.”
Let’s try to break it down as simply as possible, starting with the fact that the Phillies had a 3-2 lead entering the eighth inning -- good for a win probability of 75%, per Baseball Savant.
And then? Well, buckle up:
Top 8: Alvarado loads, unloads bases
With the heart of the Nationals’ order due up, Thomson turned to José Alvarado to protect a one-run lead in the eighth inning. After back-to-back singles put runners on the corners with nobody out, Nathaniel Lowe hit a grounder to a drawn-in Trea Turner right near the second-base bag. Turner fielded it and took a couple of steps toward the base, then stopped just shy of touching it and instead pivoted to uncork a wild throw toward the plate as Amed Rosario broke for home.
J.T. Realmuto made a leaping stab as Rosario scrambled back to third base. It prevented the tying run from scoring, but it also loaded the bases with nobody out. The alternative -- trading the tying run for a surefire double play -- certainly wasn't ideal, but one could argue it beats having the bags full with nobody out in a one-run game.
“You’re thinking you’re going to get the out at the plate, and it’ll be [runners on] first and second, one out,” Thomson said. “He made the right play, just bad throw.”
Phillies’ win probability: 37.8%
Surely Alvarado changed up his approach … right?
“I don’t need to change nothing,” Alvarado said. “Focus on my target and hit the target, and that’s it.”
Alvarado proceeded to strike out Josh Bell swinging at a 94.7 mph cutter, Dylan Crews swinging at a 95.9 mph cutter and pinch-hitter Alex Call swinging at a 94.8 mph cutter.
“He stepped up,” said starter Zack Wheeler, who struck out seven over 6 2/3 innings of two-run ball. “He used what he has -- the power that he has. It’s cool to see those types of things happen.”
The Phillies hadn’t seen that “type of thing happen” since July 7, 1968. That was the last time a Phillie struck out three straight batters with the bases loaded in the eighth inning or later, per the Elias Sports Bureau. Dick Hall did it against the Mets with the Phillies trailing by two in the top of the ninth. That game also ended in walk-off fashion: Dick Allen won it with a three-run homer in the ninth.
Alvarado became just the second pitcher in the past 35 seasons to strike out three straight batters with the bases loaded to protect a one-run lead in the eighth inning or later (other: Devin Williams for the Brewers on April 12, 2022).
“Everybody knows right now, like, ‘This guy is going to throw a lot of strikes, everybody be ready to swing early,’” Alvarado said. “And hey, I’m ready.”
Phillies’ win probability: 87%
Top 9: Nats take lead
Despite the Phillies tacking on two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth that pushed their win probability to 99%, the game was far from over.
In the top of the ninth, Johan Rojas misjudged a line drive that led to an RBI double by James Wood, and Turner made an errant throw that brought the go-ahead run to the plate. Lowe made them pay with a go-ahead three-run homer off Orion Kerkering on a 1-2 pitch.
“You’re one strike away from winning the game, and then just a weird ninth inning,” said Alec Bohm. “It’d be pretty easy to kind of just go sit down and say, ‘Oh, that sucks, see you tomorrow.’ But we get a chance, too.”
Phillies’ win probability: 19%
Bottom 9: Phillies rally
And they made the most of that chance. Bohm led off with a single, advanced to second on Stott’s walk then tagged to third on Max Kepler’s flyout.
Bohm scored the tying run on a Rojas sacrifice fly to right field, though it appeared he was about to make the final out of the game at the plate until the ball skipped away from catcher Keibert Ruiz.
“Gutsy call by [third-base coach Dusty Wathan] at third base to send Bohm, but I think it was the right call,” Thomson said. “Guy’s got to make a good throw, and you’ve got to catch it clean and make the tag.”
Bohm added: “I’m just listening to Dusty. He’s either saying, ‘Yes, yes, yes,’ or, ‘No, no, no’ -- and he was saying, ‘Yes, yes, yes.’”
Three pitches later, another ball skipped away from Ruiz. Stott came sprinting down the line and dived for home. His hand touched the plate, just as Nats reliever Kyle Finnegan’s foot came down directly on top of it, leading to a brief injury scare amid the jubilation.
Stott was checked out after the game and said his hand was OK.
Win probability: 100%
So how does one even begin to sum up the craziness?
“We love winning,” Rojas said. “We hate losing.”