GDT 4/22/18 Pittsburgh Pirates (Williams, T) @ Philadelphia Phillies (Pivetta)

[LoneStarPhan]

Phillies go to 14-7 for the season.

Four game sweep over a team that came into Philadelphia with a 12-6 record and in first place in the NL Central.

The off day tomorrow should give the team the needed rest to be ready for the remaining two 3-game series left in this home stand.

[andyb]

Not sure how they call it a pop up.

Maybe the description is a computer-based algorithm based on launch angle and where the ball was fielded. It was a high fly ball, but definitely a fly ball.

[EastFallowfield]

Had ‘em all the way, Harry!

Great speed by Knapp to leg out that pop up.

[Jeff05]

In case you haven't noticed, . . . , the Phillies have managed to win a few here and there, and are threatening first place in the NL East Division!

[el-pietro]

Only two teams in baseball with more wins the the Phillies. None in the National League.

[RTaylor]

It's thrilling. What a year to be a Philly sports fan! The family went to a Sixers game in December, and I thought it was an exciting team a year or so away from being really good. In March I thought the Phils' young hitters might compensate some for shaky pitching; that hasn't been the case so far. I'm buying tickets.

[EastFallowfield]

n case you haven't noticed, . . . , the Phillies have managed to win a few here and there, and are threatening first place in the NL East Division!

Pretty good for the fourth best team in the division

[Jeff05]

I'm not as confident as my posts might suggest. I realise that there's a long way still to go and that this team of (mostly) young fellas will go through slumps; however, they have recovered well after the "disastrous" two games to one series against the Braves at the start of the season. Right now, it feels real good and a lot better than it has for the past few years!

[LoneStarPhan]

I also realize that there will be some low points coming but I am trying to enjoy each of these wins. I do think a young team is coming together and should continue to improve. Of course that doesn't mean they will continue to win at the pace they are now, but I do think better days are coming.

[phillychuck]

Hard to believe they're 14-7 with no production from catcher and SS, and very limited production from RF. 3B has been inconsistent, too. Good pitching and Hoskins, Hererra, Hernandez, and Santana (OBP) have been enough against the weaker part of the schedule.

[EastFallowfield]

Weren’t the Pirates in first place when they came to town?

[phillychuck]

Pirates had also played a weak schedule. Just being honest, they're not playing the Astros or Red Sox or NL pre-season favorites right now.

[zambonir]

It's a better series win than any of the others though.

And hey, I suppose last year's second-half team went .500 w/o any production from 3B or SS.

Starters and bullpen both exceeding expectations. The manager too.

[LoneStarPhan]

Franco is on pace for 130+ RBIs this season and he hasn't even played all of the 21 games to date.

[Philsmania]

Franco is on pace for 130+ RBIs this season and he hasn't even played all of the 21 games to date.

Other than the RBI totals, Franco's overall production level has been somewhere between his 2016 pace which was mediocre and his 2017 pace which was bad.

[zambonir]

But only on pace for 20 home runs. Line-up is not exactly brimming with high slugging percentages (particularly in RF and at 1B) so I'll definitely take his contributions. It's good to have men on base.

[phillychuck]

One more comment on Santana ... I read somewhere this weekend that he is hitting into the worst BABIP luck in the majors right now. Can't wait for the regression to the mean!

[Austinfan]

Real bright sign was a very good changeup thrown by Pivetta, if he can master the change by the end of the year, he has a shot at being elite, he dominates RH hitters but struggles with LH, the changeup can be the difference maker.