PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Patience is paying off for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Rhys Hoskins had three hits and drove in four runs, including Bryce Harper from first base on a single, and the Phillies beat the Minnesota Twins 10-4 on Friday night despite Jorge Polanco hitting for the cycle .
Philadelphia’s batters saw 192 pitches, 36 to Hoskins. The team is averaging 8.2 runs per game one week into the season.
“Guys taking professional at-bats is contagious,” Hoskins said.
Grinding out at-bats and wearing down pitchers has been a focal point for manager Gabe Kapler and offensive coaches.
“The goal is to push pitch counts, attack strikes in the zone, be passive on balls outside the zone,” Kapler said.
Nick Pivetta (1-0) gave up four runs — three earned — and nine hits in five innings.
Polanco tripled in the first, singled in the third, hit a solo homer in the fifth and lined a double off Adam Morgan leading off the seventh to complete his first cycle. He added another single in the ninth for his first five-hit game.
“I feel really good at the plate, waited for my pitches in the zone and got my hits,” Polanco said.
The Phillies jumped ahead 5-0 in the first against Jake Odorizzi (0-1) and never looked back.
Only a fraction of the announced crowd of 28,021 turned out on a cold, rainy night to see the Phillies win for the fifth time in six games.
Harper, the $330 million man, was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts a night after spending his off day watching the Philadelphia 76ers lose to Milwaukee in a suite with Hoskins and Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz. Harper walked in the seventh and hustled all the way home from first when Hoskins lined a 3-2 pitch to left with two outs and the bases loaded.
“That was indicative of a guy who is really heads-up.” Kapler said.
Jean Segura got things started for the Phillies with an RBI double and he scored on a single by Hoskins. Odorizzi exited after walking Cesar Hernandez to load the bases with two outs. Maikel Franco greeted Ryne Harper with a bloop double down the right-field line that drive in two runs. Another run scored on right fielder Jake Cave’s throwing error.
Max Kepler’s two-run homer in the third cut it to 5-2.
CYCLE STORY
Polanco’s cycle was the 11th in team history. Michael Cuddyer had been the last Twins player to do it on May 22, 2009, against Milwaukee.
