Phillies defeat Cardinals with double plays and two-out hitting

A lot of what we have not seen so far this season from the Phillies was in full effect in their 4-1 win over the Cardinals on Saturday afternoon.

They started off hot, made big-time plays in the field, played some small ball, and had excellent two-out hitting.

Going into this game, the Phillies had only scored three runs in the first two innings this season. They got two runs in the first.

Bryce Harper reached on a two-out single on the eighth pitch of the at-bat, and Kyle Schwarber followed it up with a nine-pitch walk, which included four fouls and ball four probably being a strike in the top corner of the zone, called a ball. Nick Castellanos, who went 3-4 with two doubles, took advantage of it, smoking a two-run double to left center that popped out of the glove of diving Victor Scott II.

Gr8 start#Phillies pic.twitter.com/r2UlyO5yg5

— Philly Sports Reports (@PhlySprtsReprts) April 12, 2025

The pitch before Miles Mikolas‘ 1-2 four-seam was a 0-2 sweeper low and away. In years past, Castellanos would swing at that junk for strike three. In 2025, he has done an exceptional job laying off pitches like that, and on Saturday, it resulted in the two-run double.

Later in the fifth, following a 102.1 mph routine ground out by Alec Bohm to second base, whose luck continues to be brutal, Brandon Marsh got a four-pitch walk with two outs, setting up an RBI double for leadoff hitter Bryson Stott. Jordan Walker let the ball roll by him in right field and to the wall, rather than making an attempt to cut it off.

Comin' in Stott! pic.twitter.com/YRD8VOh2Xx

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) April 12, 2025

This was the second straight game where Stott led off, which had the first five in the lineup going Stott, Trea Turner, Harper, Schwarber, and then Castellanos. After not much sleep, it resulted in a shutout on Friday night. But Saturday, the top of the order had a nice day, as the five of them combined to go for 7-20.

Later in the seventh, Bohm ended a 0-19 with a base hit. Thanks to a small ball, he was able to score. He was bunted over to second by Marsh, tagged over to third on a Stott fly-out, and strolled home on a 107.0 mph base hit to left from Turner.

All four Phillies runs came with two outs, which is just something you love to see.

Cristopher Sanchez got the start Saturday for the Phils, and while he did not have strikeout stuff, per se, he forced a ton of groundballs. He threw 6.1 innings, allowing eight hits, one earned run, two walks, three strikeouts, and propelled four double plays, three to end the inning, on 95 pitches and 64 strikes.

The biggest double play of the day came in the third with the bases loaded, as Sanchez got Luken Baker to end the frame on a good ol’ 4-6-3 double play.

Sanchez allowed a walk and a single with an out in the seventh, and got taken out for Orion Kerkering with runners on first and second. Kerkering got Nolan Gorman to fly out sharply to center field, and then froze Lars Nootbar with a 97 mph fastball on the outside corner to get out of the inning.

Jordan Romano came on for the eighth and recorded his second straight shutout inning, which ended with Nolan Arenado grounding into the fifth, and final, double play of the day.

It is the first time since June 1, 2021, that the Phillies have gotten five groundball double plays. It has occurred three times since 2000, and only the eighth time it has happened since at least 1901.

Romano’s fastball was up to 96.1 mph in another encouraging frame, which led to a 1-2-3 ninth inning for Jose Alvarado, who reached 101.5 mph.

The Phillies end their road trip Sunday, as they go for a series win in St. Louis with Zack Wheeler on the hill. Left-hander Matthew Liberatore will start for the Cardinals, and it will be interesting what Rob Thomson does with the lineup. Will Stott lead off again? Could Edmundo Sosa get in center field for Marsh? We will see.

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