After winning their last five games, the Phillies lost the series finale on Sunday afternoon by a final score of 6-0. The bats were dead, the pitching wasn’t great, and the overall mojo of the team was just down. The Phillies now sit 2.5 games back of the Atlanta Braves in the NL East with 6 games to play.

Hans Crouse got his first career MLB innings yesterday, and he got off to just about the worst start to your career possible. The first pitch of his MLB career was taken yard off the foul pole in right field to make it a 1-0 game.

The Phillies used six pitchers in yesterday’s game, including Crouse, Sanchez, Bedrosian, Alvarado, Medina, and Rosso. What a lineup for a team that’s fighting for a playoff spot. The bullpen games have been going good based on the win record since August 1st, but the offense couldn’t back them up yesterday.

The Phillies offense struck out 11 times on the day yesterday and only tallied six hits. Harper had one, JT had one, and Didi had a hit, but other than that, nothing. After all the miraculous comebacks over the last five games, nothing was in the Phillies favor on Sunday afternoon.

The score was 1-0 all the way until the top of the 7th. Jose Alvardo allowed a two-run double to make it 3-0, which honestly felt like the nail in the coffin. Although the late-inning heroics have been very consistent lately from the Phillies, something was off yesterday.

Adonis Medina would let up two more runs in the top of the 8th, moving the score to 5-0 in the Pirates’ favor. This loss killed the team, putting them 2.5 back with just six games left on the schedule. The most important series of the last ten years will be taking place starting on Tuesday, with the Phils traveling to Atlanta for the series that will (most likely) determine the NL East winner.

Ramon Rosso would pitch the 9th, and balk a run-in. That basically sums up the day for the Phillies, with everything going in the Pirates’ favor. With the win streak officially over, the Fightins will look to sweep the Braves this week, if they want any chance at the playoffs. The bats were dead and the pitching was bad, as the Phillies dropped the series finale to the Pirates by a final score of 6-0.

Ugh. Three games to basically determine the season. I’m not worried at all. Go Phils.

Mandatory Credit: Philadelphia Phillies