Matt Strahm gave the Phillies exactly what they needed on Tuesday night, tossing four scoreless innings to help lift the club to its first victory of the year in a 4-1 win at Yankee Stadium. The result snapped a four-game losing skid to open the season.
Strahm, who hadn't made a start since Aug. 17, 2021, surrendered just one hit and whiffed three.
It was the type of effort the Phillies desperately needed having lost four contests to open 2023; no pennant-winning club has ever opened the following season with five consecutive losses.
“It’s good to get our first win, [but] it’s just one win,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson told reporters afterward. “We have another game tomorrow. We have a tough pitcher we have to face [in Gerrit Cole].”
Kyle Schwarber put the Phillies ahead with a solo homer in the first off New York starter Domingo German. Brandon Marsh added a solo blast of his own in the third, while Trea Turner delivered a two-run single in the fifth.
Schwarber, Turner, Bryson Stott, and Jake Cave finished the contest with two hits each.
Andrew Bellatti recorded the win, tossing a scoreless fifth while collecting two strikeouts. Connor Brogdon chipped in with two scoreless relief frames allowing only one hit.
The Yankees scored their lone run in the ninth as DJ LeMahieu deposited a Craig Kimbrel fastball into the seats in right-center field.
The two clubs will conclude their three-game set on Wednesday with Aaron Nola facing Gerrit Cole.
