Phillies drop series finale to Pirates 5-0, ending winning streak at 6 games
The Phillies could only muster 4 hits and were shutout by the Pirates 5-0 to snap their winning streak at 6 games.
Phillies (72-56)Â Beat Pirates (48-79)
- Winning Pitcher:Â Roansy Contreras (4-4, 3.57)
- Losing Pitcher: Noah Syndergaard (8-9, 3.98)
- Save:
Something about today’s game felt off this afternoon at CBP. All the energy in the stadium from the return of Bryce Harper and beating up night after night on crappy teams from the NL Central was simply missing. Whatever the reason, the bats failed to show up and the Phillies seemed content to take the series win as they prepare to leave home for the next week.
Pirates starting pitcher Roansy Contreras had his devastating slider working perfectly this afternoon and combined with a well located fastball completely shut down the Phillies offense holding them to just three total hits over five innings.
Contreras could only complete 5 innings having thrown 89 pitches, but the Phillies results facing the Pirates shaky bullpen wasn’t much better. Manny Banuelos gave up only a single in the 6th inning and Duane Underwood Jr. and Will Crowe both threw hitless innings in relief as the Phillies lineup looked checked out and went down in order inning after inning.
The only inning the Phillies offense truly threatened to score was in the 4th, when Bryce Harper and JT Realmuto both singled to lead off the inning. Matt Vierling walked to load the bases after Jean Segura and Bryson Stott were unable to advance the runners. Edmundo Sosa hit a hard liner on a first pitch slider that Pirates centerfielder Bryan Reynolds was able to corral, ending the inning.
Noah Syndergaard had won 4 of his first 5 starts in a Phillies uniform but ran into trouble from the jump on Sunday afternoon, failing to keep his breaking pitches down in the zone. Oneil Cruz, Tucupita Marcano and Bryant Reynolds each notched a triple directly leading to 3 Pirates runs in the 1st, 4th, and 6th innings.
While Syndergaard has indeed been winning games he starts for the Phillies, his statistics show a troubling trend that could come back to bite him against stiffer competition. Through 30 2/3 inning with his current team Noah has allowed 37 hits en route to a 4.40 ERA.
Want some positive news? The Phillies are a combined 20-10 against the NL Central this season. Impressive considering they were swept by the Chicago Cubs in July in the first series post All-Star break.
Even with the loss and the snapping of their 6-game win streak, the Phillies still hold a 2-game lead over the San Diego Padres for the 2nd wild card spot in the National League as they prepare to head out on a six-game road trip in Arizona and San Francisco.
K’Bryan Hayes puts the Pirates on the scoreboard in the 1st inning with. an RBI single of Noah Syndergaard.
1-0 Pirates
JT Realmuto throws out a Pirates runner attempting to steal second base in the 1st inning. Best catcher in baseball.
JT throws out his second runner of the day in the 6th inning.
Bligh Madris adds to the Pirates lead in the 6th inning and effectively knocks Syndergaard out of the game with a line drive that just missed exiting the field.
5-0 Pirates
Up Next for the Phillies
The Phillies will look to start a new winning streak when they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first game of a three game series at Chase Field in Phoenix.
Ranger Suarez (8-5, 3.38) will toe the rubber facing off against Madison Bumgarner (6-13, 4.53) with the first pitch scheduled for 9:40 pm.
NBC Sports Philadelphia will carry the broadcast of the game.
Mandatory Photo Credit: Philadelphia Phillies
