Hoskins hits 2 HRs in return, Phils beat slumping Padres 7-4
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Rhys Hoskins homered twice in his return from the injured list and Kyle Gibson pitched eight fantastic innings as the Philadelphia Phillies beat San Diego 7-4 on Sunday, knocking the skidding Padres out of playoff position.
J.T. Realmuto also went deep and Odubel Herrera was 4 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs to help the second-place Phillies remain five games behind Atlanta in the NL East.
San Diego has lost nine of 11 and dropped a game behind Cincinnati in the race for the second NL wild card. The Reds beat Miami 3-1 to complete a four-game sweep.
Hoskins, placed on the injured list Aug. 10 with a left groin strain, hit a solo shot to straightaway center field off reliever Ryan Weathers (4-6) in the fourth and and another long drive to left in the fifth against Miguel Diaz. Despite missing time, the first baseman leads the Phillies in home runs (26) and RBIs (70).
Gibson (9-5) gave up one run and six hits. He worked out of jams in each of the first three innings and then cruised for the next five.
San Diego scored in the first. Trent Grisham doubled and went to third after holding up on a double to left field by Fernando Tatis Jr. Manny Machado drove in Grisham with a sacrifice fly.
Craig Stammen started a bullpen game for the Padres and threw two scoreless innings. Weathers had more trouble in the third, giving up a two-run single to Herrera.
Philadelphia tacked on three in the seventh for a 7-1 advantage. Herrera hit a solo homer off Diaz, followed by a walk to Bryce Harper and then a two-run drive by Realmuto.
Pinch-hitter Austin Nola had a three-run double in the ninth off Phillies reliever Hector Neris to narrow the gap to 7-4. Neris, however, struck out Grisham to end it.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres RHP Yu Darvish (lower back tightness) threw a bullpen, his second since exiting an Aug. 12 start. Darvish might return to the rotation this week against the Dodgers. He has a 1.35 ERA in three starts this season versus Los Angeles.
UP NEXT
Phillies: LHP Ranger Suarez (5-4, 1.47 ERA) opens a two-game interleague series at home against AL East-leading Tampa Bay on Tuesday.
Padres: Had not announced a starter for the opener of a three-game home series against the Dodgers beginning Tuesday.
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