Rhys Hoskins struck out twice in the first inning on Friday night — and he still managed to score a run in the frame.
That’s just the kind of night it was for the Phillies.
Zach Eflin ran the bases before even throwing his first pitch and every Philadelphia starter had reached base before there was even an out recorded in the third inning en route to a 12-2 series-opening victory over the Braves at Truist Park. The Phils finished with season highs in both runs and hits (16), while seven of their nine starters reached base at least twice.
Though Hoskins’ hustle after a dropped third strike opened the floodgates, it was actually the lower half of the Phillies’ order that did the bulk of the damage. Alec Bohm had an RBI single and Jean Segura added a two-run single before Odúbel Herrera roped a three-run homer — his first home run since April 8, 2019.
Eflin followed by drawing his first career walk (in his 161st plate appearance), and by the time he took the mound, the right-hander had been staked to a 6-0 lead.
The Phils piled on from there, led by Segura’s four-hit night in his return from the injured list. J.T. Realmuto added a late two-run homer and Herrera drove in a team-high four runs behind Eflin, who struck out eight and allowed just two runs over 6 2/3 innings.