Joseph pinch-hit homer leads Phillies over Rockies
DENVER -- The Philadelphia Phillies went 87 games without a pinch-hit home run this season. They erased that statistical shortcoming at the perfect time Friday night.
Tommy Joseph came off the Phillies' bench in the seventh and walloped a go-ahead, three-run pinch-hit homer off Jake McGee that enabled the Phillies to beat the Colorado Rockies 5-3.
It was the first pinch-hit homer of Joseph's career, his 10th since making his major league debut May 14 and capped a four-run seventh.
Trevor Story's two-out single in the bottom of the inning made it a one-run game. But set-up man Hector Neris gave the Phillies a solid inning, and closer Jenmar Gomez, aided by left fielder Tyler Goeddel's sprawling catch, got the final four outs of the game to earn his 24th save in 26 opportunities.
McGee (0-3) spoiled a fine start by Jon Gray, who gave up three hits and two runs in 6 1/3 innings. He held the Phillies scoreless on two hits through six innings before showing signs of fatigue in the seventh.
Cameron Rupp drew a leadoff walk from Gray in the seventh and took second on a wild pitch. After Gray struck out Ryan Howard, Freddy Galvis floated a single to right on Gray's 94th pitch and Rockies manager Walt Weiss brought on the left-handed McGee to face switch-hitting Cesar Hernandez, a .296 hitter batting left-handed and .257 from the right side.
Hernandez bounced first-pitch single into left, and Joseph followed with his go-ahead blast on a 1-1 curveball.
Joseph pinch-hit for Phillies starter Vince Velasquez (8-2), who scattered eight hits over six innings but allowed just two runs. He stranded seven runners and limited the Rockies to one hit in eight at-bats with runners in scoring position -- Carlos Gonzalez's run-scoring double in the third that produced the Rockies' first run.
Story doubled home the second with a two-out double in the fifth, following Gonzalez's infield single.
Andrew Bailey, who was activated from the disabled list before the game, took over for Velasquez and gave up a two-out single to Story that trimmed the Phillies' lead to 4-3.
The Phillies added a run in the ninth when catcher Nick Hundley, trying to pick Galvis off third base, threw the ball wide of Nolan Arenado and into left field.
Two two-out hits put the Rockies ahead 2-0 in the fifth. Carlos Gonzalez hit a slow roller and beat shortstop Freddy Galvis' throw. Trevor Story followed with a double to the gap in left-center for the Rockies' eighth hit of the game.
Gonzalez drove in the Rockies' first run when he lined a two-out double over the head of right fielder Peter Bourjos in the third. Jon Gray and Charlie Blackmon began the inning with singles.
After Nolan Arenado flied out, Gonzalez drove in his first run and belted his first extra-base hit in nine games since June 28.
NOTES: Rockies INF Daniel Descalso played left field, making his first career start and second appearance in the outfield. ... Rockies SS Trevor Story finished third in the voting for the final spot on the National League All-Star team. ... Phillies RHP Andrew Bailey (left hamstring strain) was activated from the disabled list. ... Phillies OF Aaron Altherr (left wrist), who underwent surgery after breaking the wrist in spring training, began a rehab assignment with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Phillies and went 1-for-1 with a home run and two walks while playing five innings. ... Rockies OF prospect David Dahl was added to the U.S. team for the Futures Game in San Diego on Sunday. Dahl was promoted earlier this week to Triple-A Albuquerque and has gone 11-for-19 with three doubles, two homers and five RBIs in his first four games.