You take your joy where you can get it. Sometimes you get the jubilation of a walk off from your superstar. Sometimes all the happiness you can muster is the relief of a single infield chopper ending the threat of a no-hitter. So it goes.
Jose Altuve, once again warmly welcomed by an appreciative Citizens Bank Park crowd, doubled to start the game off, advancing to third via Jeremy Peña grounding into a force out. Walker tried to pick off Peña, which Altuve used as an opportunity to steal home and score the game’s first run.
The Phillies went down in order in the 1st at the hands of Spencer Arrighetti; the second saw Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh work a pair of two-out walks that came to naught.