One day, someone, somewhere, will likely ask you where you were the night the Phillies beat the Marlins in Miami. They will ask you if the beers were cold, if the champagne was sweet.

Eh, fine.

Nobody will ask, but the Phillies did manage to win at loanDepot park (weird capitalization) on Tuesday night, something they have done very little of in recent seasons. They also did it with just two hits.

Swish that around and let it sit for a moment. The Phillies won a baseball game in which they produced just two hits, a game started by Vince Velasquez.

A classic winning formula, for sure.


First, let’s relive, in full, the Phillies’ offensive output. It came in the form of a two-run shot in the fourth inning that left Rhys Hoskins’ bat at 107.7 mph and traveled 410 feet. Hoskins was fired up.

Aaannnddd that was it.

Literally.

The Phillies didn’t produce a hit after Hoskins’ shot, but it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter because Velasquez was phenomenal yet again, while three Phillies relievers teamed up to shut the door late.

As for Velasquez, following six innings of shutout baseball in which he held Miami to just three hits and three walks, he’s now firmly in the midst of his best stretch with the Phillies.

His numbers over his last seven appearances (six starts) are simply staggering:

32.2 IP, 22 H, 8 ER, 14 BB, 36 K

That’s good for a 2.20 ERA and 1.10 WHIP.

Perhaps even more impressive is that Velasquez is having success in tight situations, whereas in previous seasons he was quick to implode when things did not go his way.

Take Tuesday night’s third inning, for example.

Velasquez found himself in a bases loaded jam with Miami’s Jesus Aguilar at the plate, but he was able to wiggle his way of the jam by getting a lineout to left field that kept things scoreless.

“I just think he’s in a really good rhythm, and he believes in what he’s doing,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said after the game.

That belief has become most apparent when Velasquez has had the most reason to doubt.

Plenty of stats illuminate his remarkable turnaround this season, but perhaps none more than this: opposing hitters are 0-for-27, including 11 strikeouts, with runners in scoring position against Velasquez this season. Those hitters have produced just a .250 OPS.

Notably, he’s also held opponents to a .109 average and .479 OPS with runners on this season.

Girardi credits Phillies pitching coach Caleb Cotham and Velasquez for adjustments to his work from the stretch.

“I think it’s something that Caleb did, we talked about it. A lot of times he’d be rolling along and then when somebody got on, we saw it in spring training, he kind of lost the zone,” Girardi said. “So I think they’ve worked hard on it, and he’s been really good in those situations.”

His numbers in tight spots this season represent a stark deviation from his past struggles.

Prior to last night, hitters had posted a .785 OPS with runners in scoring position and a .798 OPS with runners on against Velasquez throughout his career.

Following the game, he was asked about the sudden difference.

“Not giving up. The inning is not over, and not being cornered,” he said. “I think there’s been times a couple years where, obviously, I’m a power pitcher and I’m going to try to get you out with my fastball. But I’m giving myself different outlets and options to choose when it comes to utilizing my secondary pitches and having that conviction to throw them in those situations.”

Just crazy.