PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies ran out of pitchers. They didn’t run out of wins.
In a doubleheader that stretched across a long, uneven Thursday at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies found just enough pitching — barely — and more than enough timely hitting to sweep San Francisco with two walk-off victories.
The constant in both games was Chase Shugart.
The right-hander recorded the final out of the opener and returned hours later to pitch a scoreless 10th inning in the nightcap, earning both wins in a rare feat that underscored the chaotic nature of the day.
“It was a good day for us,” interim manager Don Mattingly said. “Obviously, two walk-offs in a day. A lot of good things. It took a lot of guys. Shug getting two wins in one day is pretty interesting.”
The Phillies won the opener, 3-2, on a walk-off, then followed with a 6-5 victory in 10 innings to complete the sweep.
Shugart’s first appearance lasted four pitches but carried weight.
Entering with two outs in the ninth inning of Game 1, he faced Matt Chapman with runners on first and third and the Phillies trailing. Shugart struck him out swinging, preserving the deficit. The Phillies responded in the bottom half with a walk-off, giving Shugart the win.
The second appearance required more.
A rain delay interrupted Game 2, and a bullpen game forced the Phillies to cycle through nearly every available arm. By the time the game reached extra innings, Mattingly had limited options.
“We knew (Shugart) was available,” Mattingly said. “We obviously wanted to stay away from him, but in that type of game, we're down to our last guy there. So we're not in a great spot, going with the bullpen game, which we pretty much felt like we had to do. We talked to him, we thought he was available.”
Shugart entered the 10th inning with the automatic runner in place and little margin for error.
A leadoff single put runners on first and third with no outs. Shugart recovered, retiring the next three hitters, aided by a diving catch from Alec Bohm on a line drive that helped halt the rally.
“We’ve been going through a hard time and any win is necessary,” Shugart said. “Just a big moment and a big spot. And I feel like that’s my first time in a big moment like that, and being able to come through and not letting the ghost runner score was even bigger.”
In the bottom half, Bohm delivered the decisive blow, lifting a sacrifice fly to bring home the winning run.
The accomplishment placed Shugart in rare company.
He became the first Phillies pitcher since 2002 to earn two wins in one day. Across Major League Baseball, the last instance came in 2013.
The Phillies also recorded two walk-off wins in the same day for the first time since 1998.
Offensively, the Phillies showed signs of life.
Kyle Schwarber collected five hits across the doubleheader, including two home runs and two doubles. Trea Turner opened Game 2 with a home run, and Bryson Stott and Justin Crawford each contributed triples.
“A lot of good things happened,” Mattingly said.
Shugart, 29, began the season at Triple-A and entered Thursday with four career wins. He left with six, delivering in two of the highest-leverage moments of the day.
“Those are the type of guys you want on your team,” Bohm said. “Taking the ball twice in one day, and not just taking the ball — getting two wins — is pretty cool. But that’s the type of guy you want to battle with. That’s for sure.”
The doubleheader sweep came in the first week under Mattingly, who stepped into the role following the dismissal of Rob Thomson.
“I feel a lot better as each day goes by,” Mattingly said. “First day was all over the place. I felt like the game was the last thing I was ready for. Yesterday it was better, today's even better. I have done this a little bit, so it's not something that's totally foreign, but when you come into a situation like this, it feels hectic at first. But, you know, it's been okay.”
The Phillies remain in a difficult position in the standings.
But on Thursday, they found a way through it — twice — with the same pitcher finishing the job both times.
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