The Philadelphia Phillies’ six-game winning streak can be directly correlated to Kyle Schwarber’s surge.
It happens every June.
Schwarber, who has blasted seven home runs and added 14 RBIs this month, will look to lead the Phillies to a seventh consecutive victory when they host the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday. The Phillies are 13-4 this June.
In June the past two seasons, Schwarber has compiled 28 home runs and 57 RBIs.
What is it about June?
“Heck, I’m from Ohio, so I should be used to cold weather. So who knows. I wish I didn’t start slow, but it’s just the reality of it,” Schwarber said. “I think it’s just the continuous work that you try to put in each and every single day to be prepared to go out there into the game. I’m a big believer that hitting’s a feeling. You can do a lot of mechanical things, but you also have to be ready to go out there and compete.”
The Phillies won the final three games of a four-game series at Arizona and then swept the Oakland Athletics in three games.
The wins didn’t come easy, but the Phillies found different ways to come through. That wasn’t happening through a 25-32 start.
Philadelphia is suddenly 38-34 and beginning to resemble the team that came within two victories of a World Series title last season.
“That’s the thing — we’re playing well as a team, right? That’s all I really care about at the end of the day,” Schwarber said. “Usually if we’re winning, probably everyone on the team’s doing pretty good.”
The Phillies will hand the ball to left-hander Ranger Suarez (1-2, 3.82 ERA). Suarez is 2-2 with a 3.21 ERA in 15 career games (six starts) against the Braves.
Nick Castellanos (stomach illness) missed the final two games against Oakland and it’s unclear if he’ll be back in the lineup.
The Braves will arrive in Philadelphia with a six-game winning streak, highlighted by a four-game home sweep over the Colorado Rockies.
Eddie Rosario hit two of the Braves’ four homers and knocked in six runs in a 14-6 thrashing of Colorado on Sunday.
Michael Harris II also homered and produced a five-hit performance. It was the end of a special day for Harris, who caught the ceremonial first pitch from his father.
“I guess the baseball gods are on my side right now,” Harris said. “I’m glad to be able to do it in front of my dad on Father’s Day.”
The Braves scored 40 runs in the four-game sweep.
“It’s crazy,” manager Brian Snitker said. “It felt like we played four Coors Field games honestly.”
The bulk of the Braves’ lineup has gotten hot at the same time during this six-game winning streak.
It now sets up a fascinating three-game National League East battle against the Phillies.
Philadelphia ousted the Braves in the National League Division Series last season. The Braves enter the series five games up on the Miami Marlins in the National League East, eight up on the Phillies.
“We’re just seeing the ball well, and it’s hitting the right part of the bat,” Harris said. “We’re not getting too many wall-scrapers. Those count too. When you hit it 460 (feet), those count the same, but I guess you get some cool points for hitting it a little further.”
Spencer Strider (7-2, 4.12 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Braves.
Strider has been effective against the Phillies in his career, going 5-0 with a 1.65 ERA in five games with four starts.
–Field Level Media
