Well, last night didn’t really go as planned for the Philadelphia Phillies at the plate as they opened up a three game series against the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. 

Spencer Strider and the Atlanta Braves took Game 1 of the series, winning 4-2. The Braves’ ace returned to Philadelphia for the first time since Rhys Hoskins bat spiked him into oblivion in the NLDS last postseason and while Strider proved to be hittable, he was effective in working himself in and out of trouble throughout the night. 

Missed Opportunities

• Kyle Schwarber started the game with a leadoff single. (No Runs)
• Brandon Marsh leadoff double 3rd inning. (No Runs). 
• Back-to-Back Harper/Realmuto hits in the 4th. (No Runs) 

When you actually hit Strider, you have to capitalize on those types of opportunities before he’s able to settle in. The Phillies didn’t last night and it’s why they dropped game one of the series. 

Still, the Phillies managed to get on the board in the fifth inning after Marsh and Schwarber both hit back-to-back singles and Nick Castellanos hit a two-out RBI to give The Fightins a 1-0 lead. 

Nick Castellanos RBI Single: Phillies 1-0

Like Strider, Ranger Suarez handled business on the mound, allowing four hits, just one run, while striking out seven. The problem was the bullpen (or lack there of) last night. 

Thomson spoke with reporters after the game and said Alvarado, Strahm, and Marte were all unavailable due to their recent workloads which left the Phillies with just Craig Kimbrel, Gregory Soto, Andrew Vasquez, Dylan Covey, and Jeff Hoffman as options to relieve Suarez. 

Hoffman, who should have never been pitching in a 1-1 ball game in the seventh inning came in for Ranger, and immediately walked the first batter he face before allowing a pinch-hit double to Eddie Rosario. In a blink of an eye, the Braves had runs on second and third with nobody out. 

That of course, didn’t end well for the Phillies. Jeff Hoffman coughed up an RBI single to Acuna and an RBI groundout to Albies. Matt Olson then added an insurance run in the top of the eighth inning with a homer off Andrew Vasquez. 

The Phillies did have some life in the bottom of the eighth inning. Nick Castellanos was on base and JT Realmtuo was at the plate with two outs. Realmuto roped one to centerfield and attempted to stretch a single into a double. 

Michael Harris II gunned him out on a very close play at second to end the inning instead of bringing the tying run to the plate. 

JT Realmuto out at second

Look, the Phillies get thrown out a lot on the base paths. They currently sit behind the Cincinnati Reds with the second most throw-outs in the NL this season at 25.

I’m not going to kill Realmuto over it. I like the hustle and we know damn well that if he was on first base and Bryson Stott roped a double in the next at-bat to score just one run, then everyone would have been upset that JT was still on third and not trying to stretch his single to get into scoring position. 

Whatever. Water under the bridge.

Attention now shifts to Game 2 between Aaron Nola (6-5, 4.66 ERA) against AJ Smith-Shawver, a rookie who’s making just his third career start after beginning the season in Single A. 

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