The Philadelphia Phillies secured a crucial victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, with designated hitter Kyle Schwarber playing a pivotal role in their success, despite right fielder Nick Castellanos delivering the walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Schwarber kicked off the game with a leadoff home run, a move that has become characteristic of his performance in recent seasons. Throughout the game, he continued to impress, adding a single in the second inning, drawing walks in the fourth and seventh innings, and concluding with another single in the ninth.
After his final plate appearance, Whit Merrifield substituted for Schwarber as a pinch-runner, ultimately scoring the winning run on Castellanos’ decisive hit.
Finishing the game with a perfect 3-for-3 at-bat record, along with two walks, two runs, and an RBI, Schwarber’s performance was particularly notable as all five of his plate appearances were against left-handed pitchers, making his achievement historic.
According to the Phillies’ communications department, Schwarber became the first left-handed Phillies hitter in 66 years to reach base five times in a game against left-handed pitchers, a record last achieved by Richie Ashburn in 1958 against Sandy Koufax and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
So far this season, through 15 games, Schwarber holds a batting average of .259 with three home runs, six RBI, and a .772 OPS, accumulating a 0.1 WAR. Notably, he has excelled against left-handed pitchers, boasting a .448 batting average and 1.198 OPS against them, with 19 of his 24 total bases earned against southpaws.
Saturdays are for Schwarbombs 💣 pic.twitter.com/slL45fqlEX
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) April 13, 2024
While Schwarber’s career OPS against left-handed pitchers stands at .718, which is lower compared to his .872 OPS against right-handed pitchers, his impressive performance against lefties has been a highlight.
In Sunday’s series finale against the Pirates, the Phillies faced right-handed pitcher Mitch Keller, meaning Schwarber didn’t have the opportunity to continue his success against left-handed pitchers until later in the game or in upcoming matchups against teams like the Colorado Rockies later in the week.
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