The Phillies blew a golden chance to move a game closer to Atlanta, losing 2-1 to the lowly Marlins. If the Phillies fail to make the playoffs it will be because they couldn't beat bad teams. They have lost series this summer to the most awful teams in baseball, including the Marlins, Reds, Padres, Blue Jays, Pirates and Mets. The Phillies haven't won a series since early August yet they remain only 3 games behind the braves in NL East.
- Same old story- the Phillies were shut-out by a no-name 22-year-old kid. The line-up produced nine runs Tuesday night yet Manager Kapler changes the line-up Wednesday night and they only score a run. Then he mismanages the game at the end, having used Ramos and Herrera as pinch-hitters earlier and Kingery as a pinch-runner, he was forced to hit the weak Pedro Florimon in the 9th inning with runners on 1st and 2nd. Florimon is 0-14 as a pinch-hitter with 11 strike-outs. Doesn't Kapler go by the book with analytics? Yet instead of hitting Dylan Cozens ( granted, who is a strike-out waiting to happen), he goes with Florimon, who predictably, fans.
- Starter Nick Pivetta didn't pitch a bad game, but wouldn't Cole Hamels look good in the rotation last night. So once again the team loses a series to Miami. Earlier in the day the Braves suffered a devastating loss, blowing a 6-run lead in gettingswept at home by the Red Sox. Yet Atlanta loses nothing. They do go west now, playing Arizona four games then San Francisco while Philly has the Mets and Nationals again. Advantage Phillies?
- A loss like the braves choked on yesterday could linger a while, but the Phils must take advantage. I;m tired of Kapler saying we still have time. Sure, the season most likely will come down to the 7 games head-to-head with Atlanta in late September. but those game will be meaningless unless the Phillies get closer. so far they don't want it bad enough.
- As always, fundamentals killed the club, as the usually reliable Quinn mad ea base-running mistake in the 8th inning. Herrera hit into a ground ball double play in the 5th and didn't seem to hustle down the 1st base, most likely pouting that he didn't start.
With the Eagles starting tonight the phillies do have a chance tog rab some headlines by playing well this weekend in New York and slicing into the Atlanta lead. Will they show some fight or show no heart? We will soon find out.
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