“Two nights in Toronto” should strike fear in even the strongest of Philadelphia Phillies fans. 

I don’t have the numbers but for whatever reason, I always have a bad feeling when The Fightins head north of the border for 2-game series against the Blue Jays.

Last night, my nightmare arrived after Zack Wheeler pitched a gem while the offense remained ice cold in a 2-1 loss to Toronto. 

Zack Wheeler was phenomenal yet again, throwing seven innings of 3-hit baseball, allowing one earned one and walking four while striking out five. 

Unfortunately at the plate, the Phillies are stuck in a bit of a slump again and their top seven hitters combined to go 1-for-24 with 10 strikeouts last night in the losing effort. 

Seranthony Dominguez entered the game in relief in the bottom of the eighth and immediately ran into trouble. He threw just 0.2 innings, allowing one hit while walking two to load the bases.

It did look like that Dominguez was going to get out of the inning unscathed after Alec Bohm and JT Realmuto bailed him out with a heads up play at the plate to keep the game tied. 

Alec Bohm & JT Realmuto Force Out at Home Plate

However on the very next play, Dominguez hit Cavan Biggio that scored Whit Merrifield to give the Blue Jays a 2-1 lead. Ball game. 

Phillies Hunt for Red October 

Luckily for the Phillies (yes I sound like a broken record) everyone else in contention for the three NL Wild Card spots continue stumble through the month of August. 

The Giants won last night and remain in second place in the Wild Card behind the Phillies, while the Marlins, Cubs, and Reds all lost. Below them, Arizona and San Diego finally won but remain at the bottom of the well in terms of “contending teams.”

Season Defining Start for Aaron Nola

Tonight, Aaron Nola will take the mound for the Phillies in what really should be considered his most important start to date this season. I don’t even think it’s crazy to say tonight is a season defining start for Nola in Toronto.

• Phillies have lost 3 straight games. 
• The offense is ice cold at the plate.
• Kevin Gausman on the mound for Blue Jays.

If Nola can repeat what Wheeler did last night and the Phillies show signs of life at the plate, then tonight’s game can serve as a building block for the final 1.5 months of the regular season. 

Important. We’ll have to see how everything shakes out. Ring it.  

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