Johan Rojas blasts go-ahead two run homer in Phillies' 7-5 win over Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Nick Castellanos had barely finished his swing when he took his right hand off the bat and pointed to right field.

Castellanos got it.

And he knew it.

Two outs from a second consecutive loss at Angel Stadium — a place that they seldom visit and hadn’t won a game at in 21 years — the Phillies got a game-tying solo home run from Castellanos and a go-ahead two-run shot from Johan Rojas in a 7-5 Phillies win over the Los Angeles Angels Tuesday night.

The Phillies clinched a winning record on a 10-game road swing that wraps Wednesday with ace Zack Wheeler on the mound. They also set a modern franchise record with 19 April victories, eclipsing the 102-win 2011 team.

But while that was all well and good, Castellanos’ biggest swing of the season could have the most lasting impact. Because the $20 million-per-year slugger was among the worst players in the majors through the season’s first month and has looked for reasons to feel good.

Before the game, Castellanos had a long conversation on the field with Angels manager Ron Washington. They’ve known each other only from opposite sides of the field. But Castellanos soaks up any advice he can get, and Washington has plenty to give.

The smallest things can jump-start a struggling hitter. Maybe Washington’s words helped. Or maybe Castellanos drew confidence from a pair of singles the other way to left field in his first two at-bats.

Whatever the case, he smashed a first-pitch fastball from Angels closer Carlos Estévez into the right-field bleachers, raised his right arm, took two hops, and circled the bases. It marked his second homer of the season and only his third extra-base hit.

Castellanos has been mostly pleased lately with his swing. At last, the results lined up with the process.

Two batters later, after Stott blasted a ground-rule double to left field, Rojas slugged his first homer of the season on a slider from Estévez.

The homers took Trea Turner off the hook for a costly error in the sixth inning. With one out, Turner muffed a routine grounder that should’ve been a rally-ending double play. Instead, on the next pitch, reliever Yunior Marte gave up a three-run homer to Phillies-killing Luis Rengifo.

Until then, the story was Spencer Turnbull’s latest gem in what might be his final start for a while. He gave up little more than Zach Neto’s solo homer in 5⅓ innings, the continuation of a dreamy start to the season.

The Phillies could have easily gone 6-0 in Turnbull’s starts. He allowed a total of five earned runs in 32⅓ innings for a 1.39 ERA that ranks second in the National League behind fellow Phillies starter Ranger Suárez (1.32).

But it may still land Turnbull in the bullpen by the weekend.

Because the Phillies won’t stick with a six-man rotation, manager Rob Thomson reiterated before the game. Taijuan Walker is ready to make his next start after dealing with a blister over the weekend. So, barring a surprise involving another pitcher, Turnbull will move into the long-relief role for which he was ticketed until Walker injured his shoulder late in spring training.