Camp Recap, March 24th: Viars’ Late Grand Slam Seals Victory

Jordan Viars connects on a pitch in a minor league spring training exhibition against the New York Yankees on march 24, 2023 at the Carpenter Complex.

By Josh Sperber

March 24, 2023

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Jordan Viars hit a towering grand slam in the eighth inning to help the Phillies minor leaguers take down the Yankees 7-2 at the Carpenter Complex on Friday afternoon. Philadelphia’s minor league camp faces the Blue Jays on Saturday morning. Pitching was strong at the start for

Pitching was strong at the start for both teams, as both starters struck out the side in the first inning. In the second, the Yankees got on the board first with two singles to make it 1-0. The score remained the same until the fourth when the speed of the Phillies minor leaguers sparked a rally.

Cade Fergus reached on a one-out single and stole second base. With two outs and two strikes on him, Anthony Quirion ripped a fastball into the right-centerfield gap to tie the game, speeding into third with an RBI triple. He scored in the next at-bat when Bryan Rincon drove him home with a single, giving Philadelphia the lead 2-1.

After the first batter of the eighth inning struck out, Justin Crawford, Otto Kemp, and Gabriel Rincones Jr. all reached on walks. Dakota Kotowski drove in Crawford on a groundout to extend the lead to 3-1. Fergus was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Viars. The 2021 third-round pick rocketed a 1-1 pitch into the parking lot to put the Phillies ahead 7-1. The Yankees added one run in the ninth inning, but it was too little, too late as the Phillies closed out a 7-2 victory.

Mick Abel allowed one run on two hits with six strikeouts in 3.0 innings. Alex McFarlane threw 3.0 scoreless and hitless innings with a walk and four strikeouts. Chase Antle allowed one walk and a hit in 1.0 inning of work. Andrew Walling walked two and struck out two in 1.0 inning. Wen Hui Pan allowed one run on one hit with a strikeout in the final inning.

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