The left-hander delivered a masterclass performance, cruising through seven scoreless innings in a 4-1 victory over the Diamondbacks in Sunday’s rubber game at Citizens Bank Park.
"It's incredible signing the extension yesterday and then having this outing today," Sánchez remarked through an interpreter. "But we have to keep going, we have to keep doing things right."
Sánchez was dominant, striking out four and surrendering just three hits with no walks. He needed only 80 pitches to complete his seven innings, facing just one batter over the minimum. This stellar outing lowered his season ERA to an impressive 2.67.
Even more remarkable is his ability to keep the ball in the park, allowing only one home run in his 15 starts this season.
Sánchez's feat places him in elite company. He is the first pitcher to allow one homer or fewer through his first 15 starts of a season since Jake Peavy in 2007, and the first Phillies pitcher to achieve this over any 15-start span within a season since Jerry Koosman in 1984.
“He’s grown up, man,” manager Rob Thomson said. “He was brilliant today. He just did a masterful job.”
In classic Sánchez fashion, he combined efficiency with effectiveness, embodying the promise that led the Phillies to lock him in for the future.
Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm collected two hits each in the win, while David Dahl also collected two hits and drove in a pair of runs.
The 2-for-3 day at the plate for Bohm increased his batting average to .304 on the season.
The club now travels to Detroit to open a three-game series with the Tigers on Monday.
