Six days ago, Cristopher Sanchez took the mound in Arizona and had a performance you would want to flush — giving up a career-high 12 hits and allowing seven runs.
Sanchez treated that game like water off a duck's back.
He came out Saturday against the Nationals as if that game never happened — and had a masterful complete game, leading the Phillies to a 5-1 victory and securing the series win.
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Sanchez hadn't pitched past the sixth inning since his last complete game June 28 against the Marlins. He is now the third pitcher in MLB with multiple complete games.
"Sanchy was fantastic, he really was," manager Rob Thomson said. "Everything about his night — his command, his changeup, the sink on his fastball was unbelievable. Of the 27 outs, 19 were either on the ground or strikeouts. It was dominant."
The Phillies have now had three consecutive quality outings from their starters (Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and Sanchez), and while the offense has been finding its rhythm again, this has heavily steadied the ship.
"Hopefully they're over kind of a fatigue hump," Thomson said on his last three starters' performances. "We gotta keep them there and we gotta really monitor it so we don't put them in harm's way. So that we don't get them overly fatigued again. So that they can get through this month and September."
Philadelphia Phillies
The first hit Sanchez allowed came in the fourth inning, a solo home run to right from Alex Call. It is just the fifth home run Sanchez has allowed all season and only the second at Citizens Bank Park.
Sanchez followed that up by fielding back-to-back balls at the mound. He got out of the inning with James Wood flying out to Weston Wilson. Andrés Chaparro was the only other player to hit off of the lefty, with a soft single to leftfield.
Nick Castellanos hasn't received nearly enough appreciation for his contributions as of late. What he has done in August should not be overlooked. Averaging over a hit per game in the month, his efforts continued Saturday night.
Castellanos ripped a fastball to the gap in right center field for his 26th double of the season, which scored Alec Bohm from first base. Castellanos how has a six-game hitting streak and has driven in at least one run in every game of this series against the Nationals.
The Phillies made a lot of hard contact early on, so it was only a matter of time before the runs started flowing.
We saw a flurry of runs in the sixth inning that secured the win. Bohm singled to score Trea Turner and earn his 85th RBI of the season. Bohm, who also walked earlier in the game, has reached base safely in 34 consecutive games. It is the longest active streak in MLB.
J.T. Realmuto, Edmundo Sosa and Johan Rojas added on three more runs in the inning.
Bryce Harper was the only Phillies' starter who did not have a base hit.
Wall of Fame Induction
The Phillies inducted former team president and chief executive officer, David Montgomery, into the Wall of Fame as part of Alumni Weekend.
Members of the wall (Bobby Abreu, Bob Boone, Larry Bowa, Steve Carlton, Pat Gillick, John Kruk, Mike Lieberthal, Greg Luzinski, Garry Maddox, Charlie Manuel, Ron Reed, Juan Samuel, Mike Schmidt, Jim Thome, Manny Trillo) received a one-of-a-kind ring as a gift. Montgomery's wife, Lyn, also received a ring.
Image credit: Philadelphia Phillies
During the ceremony, a special addition was made to the padding of deep center field. Above the 409-foot marker now sits "Monty's Angle." Montgomery wanted to have that nook in the outfield to pay homage to Shibe Park, later known as Connie Mack Stadium.
You can watch the full ceremony below:
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