Phillies unravel in the eighth, drop game one against Braves 9-5
Across the street from Citizens Bank Park at the Wells Fargo Center, the Sixers just bounced back after losing game one and put a beat down on the Atlanta Hawks to even the series in game two. At CBP, the Phillies were in the midst of beating the Atlanta Braves. Bryce Harper hit a home run in the fourth inning. Realmuto hit a home run to it in the sixth and Brad Miller gave them a 5-4 lead heading into the seventh inning on a single to score Alec Bohm.
From there, in typical Phillies fashion, the eighth inning happened and the team unraveled, ultimately losing 9-5 to the Braves in the opener of a three game series. After winning a series against the Nationals over the weekend, Phillies fans hoped to see their team start to make up some ground in the NL East.
Aaron Nola was on the mound but only lasted five innings and exited the game with the Phillies down one run. JT Realmuto and Brad Miller got Nola off the hook in the sixth, Alvarado protected the Phillies’ one-run lead in the seventh, and then in the eighth Connor Brogdon lost the game while Sam Coonrod and a throwing error put it out of reach.
It was the Phillies 6th loss of the season in games they were winning after the seventh inning. Good baseball teams don’t do that. The Padres, for example, have lost zero games after leading through seven frames.
In addition to Harper, Realmuto, and Miller, the Phillies got a safety squeeze from Nola, an RBI double and three walks from Jean Segura, two hits and two runs from Alec Bohm and a bunt base hit and a run from Luke Williams in his major league debut. The offense was there but the Phillies still managed to hit 2-for-11 with RISP and stranded men on the corner in the seventh inning with one out.
The Phillies continue to struggle and can’t seem to string together a run of wins. Something needs to change and fast, before the remainder of the season is considered a wash.
Up Next: Zach Eflin will take the mound tonight against Tucker Davidson. The Phillies are 28-31 and now a game and a half behind the Braves and four games out of first place behind the New York Mets.
Mandatory Credit: The Philadelphia Inquirer
[…] a half behind the Braves and four games out of first place behind the New York Mets. The bullpen let one slip away last night in the eighth inning against the Braves. The Phillies are currently tied 0-0 against the Braves in the top of the 4th […]