Cristian Pache hits walk-off single to lift Phillies over Rockies in extras

PHILADELPHIA — Like a linebacker at the goal line, Jeff Hoffman lowered his right shoulder — his pitching shoulder — and blocked home plate.

That’s what it took for the punchless Phillies to win Monday night.

With two outs in the ninth inning of a tie game against the struggling Rockies, Hoffman skipped a slider in the dirt that got away from catcher J.T. Realmuto. The reliever raced to the plate, where he caught the ball at the same time that pinch-running Colorado pitcher Kyle Freeland arrived.

After a thunderous collision that left Freeland holding his arm, a lengthy replay review, and an upheld call on the field, the game remained tied. The Phillies were out of the inning. Barely.

It took a 10th inning and the automatic runner on second base, but the Phillies finally eked out a 2-1 victory when Cristian Pache punched a two-out single through the drawn-in infield to score Bryson Stott. IT capped another otherwise frustrating night for an offense that hasn’t found its footing through nearly three weeks of the season.

Pache’s hit prevented the Phillies from wasting another stellar start. This time, Aaron Nola twirled a 7⅓-inning, 99-pitch gem, allowing little more than Michael Toglia’s solo homer in the fifth inning.

Entering the game, the Phillies ranked among the bottom half of the 15-team National League in most offensive categories, including homers (ninth), hits (11th), on-base percentage (13th), and slugging (14th).

Worst of all, they scored the second-fewest runs.

The elixir, surely, would be the 4-13 Rockies — specifically against righty Cal Quantrill, who dragged a 7.20 ERA to the mound after giving up 12 runs in his last three starts.

But Quantrill held the Phillies to four hits in six innings. He allowed one run on Trea Turner’s double inside the third-base bag and down the left-field line, leading to a two-out RBI worm-burner up the middle by Bryce Harper.

Otherwise, there was only more frustration. Turner’s double marked the lone extra-base hit. The Phillies left Stott on second base after a leadoff single in the fifth inning. Nick Castellanos waved at a pitch way off the plate in the seventh.

Kyle Schwarber worked a leadoff walk to open the eighth inning against Rockies lefty Jalen Beeks. But Turner got rung up on an inside fastball, Harper flew out to right field, and Realmuto lined a 98.7 mph rope to center field for the third out.

Harper slammed his bat to the turf. Realmuto grabbed his helmet with both hands.

Frustration, around every corner.

Nola, meanwhile, finally got to pitch in good weather after dealing with rain, wind, and cold temperatures — sometimes, all three — in his first three starts. After he pitched in a steady drizzle last week in St. Louis, Realmuto said he wished for “75 and sunny” for Nola’s next outing.

Pretty close, eh?

The conditions at the start of the game: 77 and partly sunny. And Nola’s stuff responded accordingly. After he dialed back velocity to gain better command in the mud against the Cardinals, Nola’s repertoire ticked back up. His fastball scraped 93 mph and his curveball had such wicked bite that he got swings and misses on 12 of his 34 breaking pitches.

It was the latest in a string of terrific outings from Phillies starters.

Consider this: Zack Wheeler, Nola, Ranger Suárez, Cristopher Sánchez, and Spencer Turnbull have allowed three earned runs or less in all but two of 17 games. They have given up two earned runs or fewer in 11 games. Their combined ERA: 2.95.

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