Newest Phillies player Luke Williams made his major league debut on Tuesday night.  It went somewhat under the radar.  The Sixers were busy defeating the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA Playoffs across the street, and the Phillies ended up with a bad loss. Somehow, despite people missing the introduction, Williams got everyone's attention.

Williams came to the plate as a pinch hitter for Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola leading off the bottom of the fifth inning on Tuesday.  Williams shocked Braves pitcher Drew Smyly and everyone else by squaring for a bunt.

The bunt went to Smyly's right, and Williams took off for first base.  Williams would have been safe for a base hit.  But the shock of it all exasperated Smyly, and Smyly threw the ball down the right field line.  Williams was standing on third base to lead off the inning.

Yet, somehow, Williams managed to make up for that buried debut.

Williams got his first major league start in center field. He then moved to third base after Odubel Herrera entered the game as a pinch hitter and stayed in the game in center field.  That type of flexibility is impressive enough.

But more impressive was his bat in his first major league start.

Andrew McCutchen 

The rest is history.

But for the Phillies, Williams seems to have provided a spark.  A drab, lifeless Phillies game became something else.  The Phillies, who lost game one against the Braves in a miserable fashion, needed a boost.  They now have the opportunity to take the series from the Braves on Thursday afternoon.

Could this be just what the Phillies needed to get things turned around? It certainly could help.

This could also help get some fans out to the ballpark.  The Phillies had 13,552 attendance last night.  Now that they know something exciting could happen, they might come back.

Phillies Major Award Winners Since 1980

 

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