Rhys Hoskins brought NFL Sunday to Friday afternoon.
The Phillies first baseman launched a towering three-run home run off Braves starter Spencer Strider into left field in the third inning, extending the team’s Game 3 lead to 4-0. He subsequently put his own twist on a bat flip, emphatically spiking his bat directly into the ground as he jogged to first base.
The blast, accompanied by Hoskins’ celebration, sent the Citizens Bank Park fans into an uproar. It’s the Phillies’ first home game of the series after splitting the first two games in Atlanta.
Previous 1 of 5 Next Rhys Hoskins spikes his bat after his three-run homer. Bryce Harper hits a two-run homer in the third inning. Rhys Hoskins celebrates after his home run. Rhys Hoskins crushes a three-run home run in the third inning.
“We all know he throws hard,” Hoskins told Fox’s Ken Rosenthal of Strider on the broadcast. “He’s got to be on the fastball there, I was lucky to get one in the middle of the plate and down. He’s tough to hit, right? Tough to square up, that’s why he’s pitching in this game. After that, I don’t know, I don’t know if my feet touched the ground.”
Just moments later, after J.T. Realmuto singled, Bryce Harper made the stadium erupt again with a two-run home run homer to right field, extending the Phillies’ lead to 6-0. Braves reliever Dylan Lee had replaced Strider for Harper’s at-bat.
After hitting 30 in the regular season, it was Hoskins’ first home run of the postseason, entering the game with just one hit in 18 playoff at-bats. In his sixth year with the Phillies, Hoskins slashed .246/.332/.462 with a .794 OPS in the regular season.
“Regardless of what I’m doing, the Phillies are winning games — that’s why we’re here,” Hoskins said. “We got a lot of game to play, bu it’s nice to be on top.”
It was Harper’s second homer of the postseason.
“I was fired up, ready to go,” Harper told Rosenthal. “I know he likes his heater — I was ready for it.”
The five earned runs Strider surrendered marked his most since a July 17 start against the Nationals. His season-high was six earned runs in a June 21 start against the Giants.
The third-inning explosion marked the Phillies’ second six-run inning this postseason. No other team has topped four runs in an inning.