Brad Miller, Phillies utility player, has made as strong of an impact on the field as off. Although Miller hit an absolute bomb immediately after Maikel Franco late in the Phillies’ win last night to give them the 7-5 advantage, many attest the Phils’ recent success to the bamboo tree Miller brought into the clubhouse for “good luck”.
After a recent seven game losing streak, Miller tried to lift team morale with the purchase of a bamboo tree from Chinatown and so far, it has been just what the doctor ordered.
At the beginning of the contest, however, it looks like the magic of the bamboo had a one game expiration date. Jake Arrieta(7-6) continued his mediocre 2019 campaign allowing two solo home runs from Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith to give the Mets a 5-2 lead in the sixth inning.
The Phillies retaliated with Maikel Franco smacking a two run homer giving him his 18th homer on the year. Immediately afterwards, Brad Miller pinch hit a bamboom to deep centerfield off Mets pitcher Wilmer Font(1-2) to give the Phils a 7-5 lead.
The home runs weren’t the only game changing moments of the inning. Scott Kingery was hit in the upper shoulder region by a fastball from Font causing umpire Joe West to warn both teams. Gabe Kapler was upset by West’s decision and after an altercation at home plate, Kapler was ejected for the second time in four games. If Kapler’s spat was meant to fire up the players or was just Gabe trying to put on a show before his possible midseason exit is still to be determined, but it has seemed to translate to wins(as of recently)
Things got interesting during the 8th inning as Mets’s second baseman Jeff McNeil launched his fourth hit of the game just inches away from the fence which would’ve tied the game for New York. Luckily, Neris was put into the game late in the 8th to rectify a potentially messy situation.
Neris then allowed two baserunners in the ninth only to retire his next two batters(struck out Dominic Smith and induced a groundout from Wilson Ramos) for his 16th save on the year.
The Phillies look to keep the bamboo luck alive as they continue their series with their arch rival, the New York Mets tonight at 7:05
Just The Phacts 