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DENVER – Phil Gosselin had been here before, but not in front of 40,530 fans.
"I've worked a lot with the Phillies for the basics," he said Saturday night at the Coors Field Clubhouse. "It was right in my backyard when I was a kid and it did not really matter."
This one counted.
"It feels good to get through," he said with a smile.
Gosselin grew up in West Chester, played his first league game at the Veterans Stadium under a Scott Rolen jersey, then played in Malvern Prep and at the University of Virginia. All those years later, after stopping on the major league circuit in Atlanta, Arizona, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Texas, Gosselin helped the team he had grown up for – the # The team for whom, according to him, made him fall in love with baseball – won a match. .
The 30-year-old scored twice in three innings in the fourth inning to give the Phils a lead that they had never given up in an 8-5 win over the Rockies. of Colorado. (see comments).
What would that little kid in the backyard think now?
"To be honest, he would think that all this is a dream," said Gosselin. "It was always a goal for me. I never thought that I was so great. I never thought I was in the big leagues, if I'm honest. It was one of those pinch moments.
Gosselin signed a minor league contract with the Phils in December and was recalled from Triple A Lehigh Valley on Wednesday. He took the start, his first with the Phils, stopping short after the team placed Scott Kingery and Jean Segura on the injured list earlier Saturday. (see the story). Both have hamstring injuries. Gosselin will likely play in short stop until Segura is eligible to leave Illinois next weekend. Kingery will need more time than that.
The pairing of Gosselin, combined with that of Bryce Harper, late in the game, allowed Aaron Nola to win the winning match at a party where the right-hander showed signs of seniority after the start of the season difficult. . Gosselin's No-Out Double was a long, center-right flying ball that continued to wear and carry before hitting the top of the wall.
"I did not know if it would fall off the wall or not," he said. "I was talking all the way. Fortunately, I have enough.
A night earlier, Gosselin had come into play after Kingery got hurt. He caressed a single to two in the top of the 12th and came to score a double of Harper. For a few moments it seemed to him that he was going to be one of the stars of an extra victory in sleeves. Then Charlie Blackmon put an end to all the Phillies' positive stories with a two-run end-run and Gosselin's success was just a footnote about coach Gabe Kapler. described as "brutal" defeat.
"Good organizations, winning teams, have guys like Gosselin coming and going in great times," Kapler said. "You can not win a lot of games, you can not go to the playoffs unless some minor league guys come up and play. Your guy who is not on the list and who has a big success for you. He beats the bat very well. He won the right to continue driving.
"I can only imagine what it's like to grow up in the Philadelphia area as an unconditional fan of the Phillies, and then cross it as it did." He must be at the top of the world now. "
Even beyond the victory, which improved the Phils to 12-8, there was something important on which to feel good. Nola had difficulties during her previous outings. Although he allowed 10 base riders in 5 2/3 inning, he struggled, made big shots and had big outs – he had nine strikeouts – at crucial moments in the game.
"His back was against the wall at first," said Kapler. "It's only a fighter. Nothing disturbs Aaron Nola. I know it has been hard to fight a bit. But he showed you why he's so good. He is able to withstand some of this pressure.
"It was really comforting to see him go out and play well for us."
Nola's fastball reached 95 mph and his curved ball improved over the nights.
"I did not have a 1-2-3 round all night," Nola said. "There was always traffic on the base, so I had to stay focused on the quality of the terrain."
Something to build on?
"Absolutely," said Nola.
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