Phillies 5, White Sox 2: Andrew Vaughn homers, and that’s it

It was the battle of the 7-11 squads today, and the Phillies hit their way to the top, improving to 8-11 on the season. Trea Turner demonstrated why he deserved that $300 million, 11-year contract by mashing the ball all around Guaranteed Rate Field today, going 3-for-5 with a single, double, home run, and two RBIs. It sure would be nice if the South Siders could get a franchise player. Sigh.

The Phillies started the scoring with a bang, or actually, a missile, in the top of the first inning when Turner hit a solo four-bagger on a line drive to left center field.

The Good Guys quickly responded in the bottom of the frame with a two-run rocket off the bat of Andrew Vaughn, his first of the season, after a Luis Robert Jr. double with one out. In case you were wondering, José Abreu still doesn’t have a dinger on the season.

As for the White Sox scoring and excitement, that was all, folks — cue the Looney Tunes theme. They scored in one inning, and one inning only, for the fourth straight game, and then, zilch. Add another problematic pattern to the list of MANY so far this season.

Not to be outdone in the brief home run derby, Philadelphia countered Vaughn’s with a solo shot on the first pitch in the top of the second by Brandon Marsh. The Phillies managed to manufacture another run in the top of the third when a single by Nick Castellanos drove in Turner after he’d singled and stole second.

[Redacted] was yanked after the third inning and throwing 75 pitches. He surrendered three runs on six hits, walked one, and struck out one. Tanner Banks came on in relief and immediately ceded two runs when he hit Josh Harrison and surrendered consecutive doubles to Bryson Stott and Turner. And that was all the scoring the Phillies needed to win their second series of the season.

On a positive note, Keynan Middleton and Gregory Santos combined to throw three shutout innings to finish out the ballgame.

Chicago failed again to win its first series, or start its first winning streak, of the season. With the off-day tomorrow, the White Sox will continue those quests on Friday when they head to Florida to face the red-hot Tampa Bay Rays.