Castellanos sets tone for Phillies’ comeback in first walk-off win originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
By Paul Hagen
Reds reliever Alexis Diaz struck out the top of the Phillies order, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto in the bottom of the eighth and the sellout crowd at Citizens Bank Park responded with a loud murmur that was part disappointment, part frustration and part resignation.
The Phillies were down by two with just three outs left to spend. They’d managed to get just five balls out of the infield while striking out 15 times. There were no outward and visible signs that, several moments later, they’d be running onto the field to celebrate a dramatic comeback as Bryson Stott singled to right, scoring Brandon Marsh from second to nail down a 3-2 win on Saturday.
The real takeaway, though, wasn’t how the rally ended. It’s how it began.
It began with Nick Castellanos, such a lightning rod for fan discontent a year ago, batting just .222 so far in the fledgling season, working a tough walk. He fouled off a tough 3-2 pitch from Diaz and then took a ball just off the plate for ball four.
It continued when he advanced to second on a wild pitch and continued to third on a single up the middle by Alec Bohm. And that’s when the fun really started.
With Marsh, a lefthanded batter, pinch-hitting for Josh Harrison, the Reds deployed a shift that was just about as drastic as the new rules allow. Shortstop Kevin Newman was just a step to the third base side of second and third baseman Kevin Steer was about two-thirds of the way to second.
Castellanos saw an opportunity and he took it. He danced off third base. Further and further. With nobody holding him on, he came halfway down the line, maybe even a little further, until he was directly in the sightline of the righthanded pitcher. He even waved at him with both hands.
“Just a friendly hello,” he said with a laugh.
The first pitch to Marsh was a ball. Castellanos did it again, dashing down the line, stopping, then going even further. Diaz stepped off and ran toward the runner, chasing him back toward third.
But that gave the Phillies an edge. Under another of the new rules, a pitcher is only allowed to “disengage” from the hitter twice. On the third attempt he has to get the runner out or be called for a ball.
“I was definitely thinking about that,” Castellanos said. “I tried to get him to disengage by running after me or whatever. But anything we can use to an advantage. I think more so if I can get into the pitcher’s line of sight and he’s looking at me as he’s coming set, if they’re giving me that much room, why not?”
Diaz said later he wasn’t distracted. “I stepped off right there because he was getting very close to home plate,” he said through an interpreter. “I knew I had to step off and see if we had a chance to make a play. After that, I just kept my focus and went on with the at bat.”
Maybe, but he wasn’t nearly as effective after Castellanos reached base as he had been mowing down the Phils 1-2-3 hitters in the eighth. Marsh singled to score Castellanos. Bohm went to third and scored on Edmundo Sosa’s sacrifice fly. Marsh stole second and scored on Stott’s base hit to right, giving the Phillies their first winning streak of the year and clinching their first series of the year.
The Phillies will close out the series against Cincinnati Sunday afternoon with RHP Taijuan Walker (0-1, 8.31) facing RHP Connor Overton (0-0, 11.25).
