OAKLAND, Calif. — Through four innings Saturday, there had been exactly one hit off Cristopher Sánchez, the latest pitcher to ride on the Phillies’ fifth-starter carousel.
And if that hit hadn’t literally gone off Sánchez — as in, off his left hand — this story may have been different.
Instead, Sánchez spiked his mitt after absorbing the glancing blow of Esteury Ruiz’s comebacker to open the fourth inning. He stayed in the game, even striking out the heart of the Athletics’ order to side-step a two-on, no-out jam.
But Sánchez didn’t come out for the fifth inning, his No. 5-starter audition over after 61 pitches and turning into another reliever relay race in an eventual 12-inning, 3-2 victory over the A’s, the Phillies’ fifth consecutive victory and 12th in 14 games.
An update on Sánchez’s status wasn’t immediately available.
The Phillies scored the go-ahead run in the 11th and 12th innings. But after the Athletics got the equalizer in the 11th against Andrew Vasquez, they were unable to take the lead. And Jeff Hoffman — the Phillies’ seventh reliever — stranded the tying run at third base in the 12th.
Kyle Schwarber drove in the eventual winning run with a one-out single, only the Phillies’ second hit in 13 at-bats with runners in scoring position. But Cristian Pache’s daring baserunning made it possible.
Pache began the 12th inning as the automatic runner at second base. He tagged and slid safely into third on Edmundo Sosa’s fly ball to center field on a close play that was challenged by the A’s. The call was upheld, enabling Pache to score easily on Schwarber’s single to center field.
The Phillies’ fifth-starter issue, which germinated in the offseason when they misjudged their depth, has been well-documented. A hamstring injury in spring training and erratic control in Triple-A submarined Sánchez’s fifth-starter candidacy.
But when the Phillies finally recalled Sánchez this week to make a full-fledged start, manager Rob Thomson suggested it represented a chance for him to take the football and seek open field.
“And I hope he does,” Thomson said.
Once through the order, Sánchez was stellar. Never mind that he was facing Oakland’s “Triple-A’s,” who are on pace to challenge the 1962 Mets for the worst record in baseball history. He leaned on a heavy sinker to retire the first nine batters, four via groundouts.
The Phillies aren’t asking a No. 5 starter for much other than to keep them close. Bailey Falter didn’t do that enough and got demoted to Triple-A. Dylan Covey got blitzed in the first inning of his first start last month in Atlanta and hasn’t made another. A bullpen game every five days is unsustainable.
There’s always the trade deadline. But it’s seven weeks away, and the buyers are expected to far outweigh the sellers. The starting pitching market, in particular, will reflect that disparity.
For four innings, then, Sánchez looked like a potential alternative. But in giving up a hit, he also took one.
And the Phillies’ search may have to continue.
An adventure in right field
With Nick Castellanos sidelined by a stomach virus, infielder Kody Clemens got his first major league start in right field and made a nice grab on fly ball from Shea Langeliers in the third inning.
But Josh Harrison, also a natural infielder, hit for Clemens in the ninth inning, then made a costly error that nearly led to a run.
With one out and a runner on second base, Harrison couldn’t handle Tyler Wade’s sinking line drive to right field. With the go-ahead run on third, Craig Kimbrel struck out Jace Peterson and Langeliers to force extra innings.
