PHILADELPHIA – Justin Crawford carries himself with a calm and relaxed demeanor.
That didn't change when he stepped into the left-handed batter's box before ripping the first pitch he saw from Cole Henry past the drawn-in infield for a walk-off single, capping a come-from-behind 6-5 series-clinching win against Washington on Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park.
Then, emotion poured out. Crawford jumped in the air, going back-to-back with J.T. Realmuto, who kicked off the celebration before getting swarmed with hugs and high fives from his teammates.
"Outstanding," Thomson said, describing the first week of action for his centerfielder.
"Three hits today, the walk-off. He's playing really good defense. He's playing smart baseball. He's controlling the strike zone and using the entire field. He's putting the ball in play."
Crawford, at just 22 and the youngest player in the National League, is off to a 7-for-17 start (.412) to begin his big league career and has picked up a hit in all but one game so far.
“I know he will be able to help this team win baseball games," Otto Kemp said.
"I’m excited for Philadelphia to see what this kid can do because it’s going to be really special overall in a full season."
The stage would not have been set for the talented rookie if not for Edmundo Sosa.
The utilityman spent the first seven innings on the bench before being called upon to pinch-hit for Bryson Stott in the eighth. Sosa ended up becoming an improbable catalyst for an offense that struggled through the first six innings to break through.
Down to the game's final strike, Sosa laced a two-run single to tie the game at 5-5. It was his first hit of the season.
In the top of the 10th, he made an incredible leaping grab, snagging a smoking line drive off the bat of CJ Abrams to turn an inning-ending double play.
"He had a tough game the first night, but you trust him because he has a lot of talent and he can do a lot of good things. He gets a big hit with two strikes in the ninth and makes a heck of a play in the tenth to keep it tied. He just has a lot of talent," Thomson said.
Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto each hit their first home runs of the season to generate some momentum late in the game.
Realmuto smacked his in the seventh inning as the catcher finished the game with a pair of hits and reached base four times, including a walk and a hit-by-pitch.
Harper followed an inning later, launching a solo shot to lead off the eighth, making it a 5-3 deficit.
On the mound, Phillies’ starter Cristopher Sánchez did not have his best stuff but battled his way, keeping it a 1-1 ballgame through the first five-plus innings.
"I think 31 pitch second inning and then 65 after three, a pretty humid day, it played a toll on him. I didn't think the change was the Sanchie change we are used to, but he grinded and held them to one run. That's what the good ones do," Thomson said.
The lone run surrendered was on a controversial call at first base after Realmuto snapped threw to Harper to backpick the runner Jacob Young, who danced too far off of first on a ball that got slightly behind the catcher. It was ruled that Harper pushed Young’s arm off the base. While Harper pleaded his case, Joey Wiemer came in to score from third.
Sánchez finished his afternoon with 5 ⅓ innings of work, allowing the one run on four hits and working around four walks while striking out seven on 97 pitches in a no-decision.
He lowered his ERA at Citizens Bank Park to 2.01 in 34 starts since 2024.
The Phillies begin their first West Coast trip, beginning a six-game road swing starting with a three-game set at Colorado starting on Friday.
Right-hander Aaron Nola (0-0, 5.40 ERA) is scheduled to face off against former Phillie and fellow righty Michael Lorenzen (0-0, 6.23 ERA). First pitch is at 4:10 ET.
