Writer: Matt Rappa
Phillies’ Zach Eflin notches second career complete game, first shutout in series opener against Pirates
Published22 Jul 2016
By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Final: Phillies 4, Pirates 0 ❖ Attendance: 33,703
PITTSBURGH — The Philadelphia Phillies (45-53) snapped their six-game losing streak at PNC Park as rookie RHP Zach Eflin went the distance with a complete game shutout in opposition of four-year veteran RHP Gerrit Cole and the Pittsburgh Pirates (49-47) on Friday.
Eflin allowed zero walks and just three hits on 100 total pitches, 68 of which were strikes. He struck out six Pirates batters, securing his second career complete game through eight starts of his rookie season. The first came on July 5 against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park, where he allowed six hits and a solo home run on 92 pitches.
Game Notes:
- After being hit in the left wrist in the top of the first inning, Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco was removed from the game entering the latter-half of the fourth for "precautionary reasons." In retaliation, Eflin hit Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen in the bottom of the first, yielding a warning to both dugouts by home plate umpire Tony Randazzo.
X-ray negative on Franco's left wrist. He said pitch hit him almost exactly where fracture was last yr. Didn't have feeling in fingers/wrist
— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) July 23, 2016
- Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp supplied three-fourth's of the Phillies' offensive production with a RBI single and two-run home run in the top of the sixth and ninth innings, respectively. Third baseman Andres Blanco, who replaced Franco at the hot corner,
- Eflin had a streak of 14 straight batters retired from the second batter in the bottom of the third to the first batter in the top of the eighth, a single to right by first baseman John Jaso. Three of these batters were retired via strikeout. He ended up retiring 20 of his final 21 batters faced.
- Eflin had zero complete games through his 453 2/3 career minor league innings from June 28, 2012, to June 9, 2016. He already has two through 50 1/3 career major league innings. He is the youngest Phillie to toss a shutout since RHP Kevin Gross on August 30, 1983.
On Saturday, the Phillies will look for their first series win in Pittsburgh since July 2-July 4, 2013, as RHP Aaron Nola looks to build upon six shutout frame-performance against the Miami Marlins on July 18. (Time: 4:05 p.m.; TV: CSN; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP).
