Phillies get the fill of home runs in completing two-game sweep of the Blue Jays

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Published Sep 04, 2024  •  Last updated 6 minutes ago  •  4 minute read

Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) hits a solo-home run in the first inning interleague MLB baseball action against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto on Wednesday, September 4, 2024. Photo by Cole Burston /THE CANADIAN PRESS

As well as Bowden Francis pitched during August, no one, not even the most fervent Blue Jays fan, would have confused the right-handed Texan as the second coming of Cy Young.

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Given his body of work during the recently completed month, it was easy to see why expectations were high surrounding Francis, who was justifiably named AL pitcher of the month.

Reality was bound to him home and it arrived Wednesday night in the series finale of a mini two-game set against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies.

In Tuesday night’s series opener, the teams combined to score 19 runs on 34 hits, including seven home runs.

The way the first inning unfolded in front of an announced paid crowd of 23,768, which seemed much less to the naked eye, a repeat seemed to be in the cards.

Through the afternoon’s first two innings, Francis allowed five hits, the exact total he yielded in his past 22 innings.

In two innings, Francis surrendered two home runs, including a moon shot off the bat of Kyle Schwarber, whose leadoff homer was his second in as many games at Rogers Centre.

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Not only did Schwarber stake the Phillies to a 1-0 lead, but his bomb was also his fourth home run and sixth hit in seven at-bats.

Once Francis settled in after facing Philly’s hitters the first turn through the order, it was more like the Bowden Francis of August than the September version.

Of the 14 batters he faced to close out his outing, Francis retired 13.

He went six complete innings and did not issue a single walk while recording six strikeouts.

A reality check is required because no team Francis faced during his August month of pitching comes close to what the Phillies have to offer.

Even Chris Bassitt, Tuesday’s starter, acknowledged Philly’s potency at the plate.

“I think they’re one of the most talented lineups in all of baseball and I think their hitting coach (Kevin Long) is one of the best hitting coaches in all of baseball. That combination is pretty deadly.”

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Viewed from a pre-August lens, Francis didn’t perform that badly.

His month in August did raise the bar and in retrospect, it was raised just a bit too high when breaking down the opponents Toronto faced, including a near no-hit bid against the visiting L.A. Angels.

When Francis’ day had ended Wednesday, the Jays were trailing 3-2.

The Jays would lose the game, 4-2, but it had more to do with their lack of offence, which went scoreless for the final eight innings after plating two in the first.

Philly bunted runners over to third and second in the eighth inning with one out.

A line drive for an out to Davis Schneider in left field failed to score a run.

A Tommy Nance strikeout kept it to a one-run game.

The inning began when Schwarber drew a leadoff walk.

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He was then lifted for a pinch runner to officially end Schwarber’s remarkable two-game stay in Toronto that saw Schwarber go 7-for-9 with four homers, a double, five runs scored and seven runs knocked in.

As a team, the Phillies went deep a combined six times in two games, including three to wrap up their sweep punctuated by a J.T. Realmuto homer in the ninth inning off Ryan Burr.

Bowden Francis #44 of the Toronto Blue Jays delivers a pitch in the second inning during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Rogers Centre on September 04, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Photo by Vaughn Ridley /Getty Images

20-20 VISION

Fans are likely to never forget the trade that sent Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to Arizona in a deal that landed Daulton Varsho in Toronto.

It was never Varsho’s fault and many continue to fault Jays management for making the move, but Varsho can play.

His defence in the outfield, which has involved playing in left and more recently in centre field following Kevin Kiermaier’s trade to the L.A. Dodger, is beyond reproach.

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In fact, very few, if any, in baseball are better.

His bat may never match Varsho’s defensive play, but on a better lineup, he’d be down in the order as opposed to hitting second, a role he’s embraced.

When he went deep on a belt estimated at 427 feet Tuesday night, it was Varsho’s 18th home run of the season.

Barring a complete power breakdown, which does not seem likely, Varsho is poised to record his third consecutive 20-homer season.

The Jays will gladly sign up for a 20-homer campaign from Varsho, who is more than capable of reaching the 30 total at some point during his career.

Wednesday, he came around to score after recording a one-out double in the first inning.

He would strike out and then hit a sharply hit fly ball to left field for the inning’s final out in the fifth, stranding Brian Server, who reached base on a one-out double.

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In the eighth inning, Varsho came up to the plate with one out.

He fell behind 1-2 in the count and then chased a pitch well above the strike zone for his second strikeout.

HURTIN’ HARPER

Bryce Harper was in the No. 3 hole for the Phillies, but he managed to make one plate appearance after Harper was hit a Francis pitch in the first inning.

It was that kind of start for Francis and quite the ending for Harper, who took the pitch flush off his sternum only to have the ball deflect off his torso and then hit Harper in his left elbow.

Elbow contusion was the official word provided by the Phillies, who immediately put into action Plan B saw Edmundo Sosa pinch-hit for Harper.

Sosa led off the third inning and grounded out as Francis recorded his clean inning following two rough frames to begin his outing.

Defensively, the Phillies compensated for the loss of Harper, the team’s starting first baseman, by shifting Clemens from third to first with Sosa handling the hot corner.

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