Phillies Give Pathetic Effort, Lose Third Straight to Dodgers 7-4
The Phillies let an early three run lead slip away, as they were held hitless in the final five innings of a 7-4 loss to the Dodgers on Saturday night.
Dodgers (27-12) Beat Phillies (18-22)
- Winning Pitcher:Â Daniel Hudson (2-3, 2.57)
- Losing Pitcher:Â Jose Alvarado (0-1, 7.94)
- Save:Â Craig Kimbrel (9)
If you thought last night’s shutout was a low point for this Phillies team, then you probably will not like what you are about to read. The Phillies are a mess. They don’t field well, they don’t run the bases well and their offense is frustratingly inconsistent.
After taking a 4-1 lead in the 4th inning, the Phillies bats went silent and they watched their lead slip away as were held hitless the rest of the game.
In his post game presser, Joe Girardi said ‘I was fine with that’, referring to Odubel Herrera’s failed attempt to tag up and take the lead in the 7th inning, on Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts. With that answer, i’m guessing Girardi is simply taking the heat for a bad decision made by third base coach Dusty Wathan to send Herrera. But anybody watching that play, knew Herrera had no chance and was promptly thrown out by 20 feet.
Aaron Nola reverted back to his old ways in allowing two home runs in tonights start. Both were only solo shots, but he continues to allow big extra base hits in pressure situations. The Phillies desperately needed an ace-like performance from Nola and he appeared ready to do so early on, finishing with nine total strikeouts. But Nola couldn’t hold the lead allowing two runs in the 5th inning and another in the 6th that knocked him out of the game.
Jose Alvarado, watched his ERA balloon to 7.94 ERA in tonights loss and it’s getting to the point where this team cant afford to have him out there any longer. In fact, nobody pitched well out of the Phillies pen tonight as Dominguez, Hand, Alvarado and Familia all struggled with command and allowed 6 hits in addition to three walks in 3.2 innings.
It’s May 21st and that means we are 1/4th of the way through the long MLB season and the Phillies are on pace for a ghastly 73 wins . With the loss Saturday, the Phillies are now just 2-8 in their last ten games at Citizens Bank Park.
The sad part is that there doesn’t seem to be one identifiable issue that this team could fix to markedly improve. They are below average at too many aspects of the game and I am not positive the talent on this roster is good enough to overcome those obstacles. Either way we will keep coming back to the trough night after night for another helping like the pigs we are.
Maybe Mickey Moniak, who is rehabbing in Clearwater and breaking his hand in Spring Training can shake up this lineup and be an offensive spark? Yea, probably not.
The Phillies will look to salvage a win in the series and avoid the sweep tomorrow afternoon with first the first pitch scheduled for 1:35 p.m.
Phillies strike first, courtesy of Jean Segura
1-0 Phils
Mookie Betts is killing the Phils. I cant keep track of all the home runs he has hit against them over the last 7 games.
1-1 Phils
Alec Bohm with the two run bomb in the 3rd inning to put the Phils back on top!
3-1 Phils
Kyle Schwarber is back over the Mendoza line with this solo shot in the 4th inning.
4-1 Phils
Mookie splits the gap to drive in a pair of runs.
4-3 Phils
Will Smith ties up the game with a solo home run off Aaron Nola in the 6th inning.
4-4 Phils
Mookie Betts makes a nice catch and then guns down Odubel Herrera who for some reason decided to tag up.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
Tie Game.
Gavin Lux hits an RBI single with two runners in scoring position to put the Dodgers on top for the first time of the night.
5-4 Dodgers
A wild pitch courtesy of Seranthony Dominguez scores another run in the 8th inning.
6-4 Dodgers
Austin Barnes puts the game out of reach with a solo shot in the 9th inning off Jeurys Familia.
7-4 Dodgers
Up Next
The Phillies will look to salvage a game in the third and final game against the Dodgers on Sunday night.
Zach Eflin (1-3, 3.90) will toe the rubber facing off against Tony Gonsolin (4-0 1.64), with the first pitch scheduled for 1:35 pm.
NBC Sports will carry the broadcast of the game.
Mandatory Image Credit: LA Times
