Phillies Smoked By D’Backs 13-1 in Series Finale, Ending Winning Streak at 9 Games
Phillies pitchers walked a season-high 11 batters and the defense was abysmal, as the Arizona D’Backs cruised to a 13-1 victory, ending the Phils longest winning streak since 2011 at 9 games.
D’Backs (29-33) Beat Phillies (30-30)
- Winning Pitcher: Luke Weaver (1-0, 4.91)
- Losing Pitcher: Ranger Suarez (4-4, 4.40)
- Save: n/a
After 9 straight wins, I honestly had forgotten how it felt to lose baseball games. Today was a reminder that it still sucks and this game was one of the worst efforts of the season by the Phils.
During the now defunct 9-game winning streak the Phillies had noticeably improved their defense and quality of pitching from the bullpen. Sunday afternoon against the D’Backs saw them regress back to the form that had them 8 games under .500 just a few weeks ago.
Ranger Suarez continued his struggles this afternoon in what has to now be considered more than an early season slump. Suarez through 40 pitches during a long 1st inning in which he walked the first batter he faced, watched Alec Bohm fail to register an out on a soft ground ball to third, and then committed a throwing error on what should have been a double play.
That throwing error, which arguably should have been caught by JT Realmuto at home plate, became the defining moment of the ball game and noticeably took the energy out of a crowd of 40,000+ at Citizens Bank Park.
The D’Backs were able to hang 3 runs on Suarez in the 1st and tacked on another in the 5th inning after Ranger had settled down giving the Phillies offense a chance to cut into the lead. The Phillies had their chance in 5th inning when both Nick Castellanos and JT Realmuto were unable to capitalize with the bases loaded and one out. Over his last 30 games, Castellanos is hitting only .198/.246/.298 and has been struggling with runners in scoring position.
Christian Walker, the Norristown, PA native and College World Series Champion in 2010 and 2011 at the University of South Carolina, was 3-5 with 3 RBI today in front of a large group of friends and family.
The Phillies pitching was downright brutal today, especially the bullpen, which combined to allow 7 hits and a season-high 7 walks. Arizona scored five runs off of Phillies walks and the only pitcher that didn’t grant a free pass was backup catcher Garrett Stubbs, who pitched the 9th inning and was was making his first appearance on the mound in his baseball career. Stubbs who actually looked decent, pumping the ball into the mid-80’s, allowed a solo shot to Jake McCarthy to make it 13-1.
The Phillies are 30-30, the perfect level of mediocrity for a team destined to go 81-81. The Phillies host the Marlins this week after losing three of four games to the fish in April.
I’m not sure what Alec Bohm was thinking here as he misses the tag on the lead runner while also making a late throw to second base. The bases are now loaded with nobody out.
Good Grief.
Ranger Suarez makes a poor throw to JT Realmuto at home, who can’t handle the ball, allowing two runs to score.
2-0 D’Backs
Alec Bohm with a 2 out RBI single!
3-1 D’Backs
Christian Walker with an RBI double in the 5th inning off Ranger Suarez who was pulled following this at bat.
4-1 D’Backs
Both Nick Castellanos and JT Realmuto strike out with the bases loaded and the Phillies come up with nothing in the 5th inning.
Josh Rojas with an RBI single off Nick Nelson in the 6th inning.
5-1 D’Backs
Two more runs score off Nick Nelson during a four-run 6th inning for Arizona.
7-1 D’Backs
Alec Thomas and the D’Backs are blowing out the Phillies.
12-1
Up Next
The Phillies take on the Marlins, Monday evening at Citizen Bank Park in the first game of a three game set.
Aaron Nola (4-4, 3.50) will toe the rubber facing off against Sandy Alcantra (6-1 1.61), with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 pm.
NBC Sports Philadelphia will have the broadcast of the game.
Mandatory Photo Credit: Philadelphia Phillies
