Happy December. 'Tis the season... for countdowns!
Between now and New Year's Day, we'll rank the top 15 Phillies games of 2024. The Phils didn't deliver a championship this year, but they did give us 95 regular season wins and some fantastic memories.
Before we turn the page to 2025, let's revisit the best of those Ws.
© Jay Biggerstaff | 2024 Aug 2415) April 16, 2024 - Ranger Suarez throws a complete game shutout
Ranger Suarez's numbers don't really tell the story of his season.
He finished the year 12-8 with a 3.46 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, 145 strikeouts, and 41 walks in 150.2 innings. Not bad at all.
But early-season Suarez was special. The Philies lost his first start, on March 31 against Atlanta. But Ranger was credited with the win in his next nine games. By May 21, he was 9-0 in ten starts, with a 1.36 ERA and 0.79 WHIP in 66 innings. His ERA was still under 2.00 as late as June 29.
Ranger Suarez is the first Phillies pitcher since Robin Roberts (1952) to win at least nine consecutive starts pic.twitter.com/pRPe0LVmJa
Ranger Suárez:
5 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 7 K (ND)
6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K (W)
6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K (W)
9 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K (W)
7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K (W)
8 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K (W)
6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K (W)
7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K (W)
5 IP, 4 H, 0…
It was Cy Young-caliber stuff. Health issues derailed Suarez after the All-Star break, but his early-season run is legendary.
At the height of his powers, in April against a hapless Colorado Rockies squad, Ranger threw the second complete game shutout of his career. He walked just one batter and struck out eight in a 5-0 Phillies win.
The month of Mr. Rager pic.twitter.com/uInOs0cKGn
Those in attendance at Citizens Bank Park were unsure whether Phils manager Rob Thomson would let Suarez finish his gem that night. The lefty ended the eighth inning at 89 pitches, it was still very early in the season, and Thomson can be protective of his pitchers' health.
But Suarez walked out to the mound for the ninth, with Kid Cudi’s Mr. Rager blasting and 35,000 Phillies fans going absolutely wild.
“Pretty stress-free 89 pitches, so I felt pretty good about him going back out there,” Thomson said after the game.
Some of the pitches in the ninth were a little stressful to those hoping to see Suarez go the distance. Rockies designated hitter Charlie Blackmon led off the inning with a single on a 2-1 count. Suarez rebounded to strike out shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, but after third baseman Ryan McMahon singled sharply to right field, his pitch count stood at 103.
Jeff Hoffman warmed up in the bullpen. Thomson could have easily decided to bring in the right-handed reliever to face right-handed Rockies batter Elias Diaz.
Fortunately, Thomson left our hero in the game.
Suarez struck out Diaz, then induced a ground ball that the pitcher fielded with his trademark serenity to end the game. Suarez’s final line: 9 IP, 7 H, 1 BB, 8 K, 112 pitches (79 strikes).
COMPLETE GAME SHUTOUT FOR MR. RAGER pic.twitter.com/3UxY41knEZ
JT Realmuto and Bryce Harper backed up Suarez's performance with home runs, and Brandon Marsh helped out with some defense:
Here’s that Brandon Marsh play pic.twitter.com/S9BiwBM4mz
The Phils' overall record was just 10-8 after this, On Pattison's 15th-best game of the season. But the win proved to be the second of seven consecutive Phillies victories. The team was off and running.
