Hoskins powers Phillies past Pirates
Rhys Hoskins capped a seven-pitch at-bat with his fourth home run of the season, a three-run shot that erased a sixth-inning deficit and lifted the Philadelphia Phillies to a 6-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia.
Hoskins also contributed a run-scoring single to a three-run eighth inning, giving him four RBIs in the game, as the Phillies beat the Pirates for the third time in three days.
Sean Rodriguez homered for Pittsburgh, which lost for the fifth time in its last six games.
Pirates left-hander Steven Brault took a one-hit shutout and 2-0 lead into the sixth inning before, with one out, he hit Carlos Santana with a pitch.
After Odubel Herrera singled, right-hander Michael Feliz (0-1) replaced Brault and got ahead of Hoskins 0-2 before the slugger fouled off three pitches in the marathon at-bat.
Hoskins then smacked his three-run homer to left field, giving the Phillies a lead they never relinquished.
The Phillies tacked on against the Pittsburgh bullpen in the eighth, with Hoskins and Scott Kingery driving in runs that created a three-run margin. Hoskins made it 6-2 when he scored on a throwing error by Pirates first baseman David Freese.
Closer Hector Neris, who got the final out of the eighth inning, pitched a scoreless ninth for his fourth save.
Aaron Nola (2-1) got the win for the Phillies, allowing two runs and six hits in seven innings. He struck out nine and did not walk a batter.
One of the hits allowed by Nola was Rodriguez's third home run of the season, which came on the second pitch of the game.
Brault did not get a decision after allowing just two hits and two runs in 5 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out four.
Hoskins finished with two hits for the Phillies, who have won 10 of their last 12 games.
Santana and Herrera scored twice apiece.
Rodriguez had two hits and scored twice for the Pirates, who out-hit the Phillies 8-7.
Corey Dickerson also had a pair of hits for Pittsburgh.
--Field Level Media
