- No doubt about it, last night was a bad loss for the Phillies. Up 8-5 in the 8th inning, the bullpen blew the lead and Washington rallied to beat the Phils, 10-8.
I blame several people for this defeat: Gabe Kapler, Cesar Hernandez, Adam Morgan and Pat Neshek.
Manager Kapler has been pretty restrained this season, compared to last year. On Saturday night Kapler over-managed the game. With two Nationals on base and two outs in the 8th inning, Kapler replaced Neshek with lefty Morgan to face Washington's Stephenson. Nats manager Dave Martiez, in a rare good move, pinch-hit Stepenson for righty Kurt Suzuki, who homered on Friday night.
Suzuki hot Morgan's first pitch, a high, flat slider, deep into the left field stands to tie the game at 8-8. Morgan then surrendered back-to-back home runs when Victor Robles homered to right to break the tie. Game over.
Morgan had not given up a run all season. Bad time to do it Kapler had to know Suzuki would pinch-hit yet he made the change anyway. It backfired.
I blame Neshek for allowed two Nats to get on base before the homer.
I blame Hernandez, who is having a rough year, for striking out with Phillies on second and third and only one out in the 6th inning. Hernandez, on the bench after struggling mightily in the field recently, strikes out way too much for a supposed contact hitter.
Phillies relievers game up a total of seven runs last night, after starter Jake Arrieta pitched OK ball for six innings. Whenever either Juan Nicosio or Jose Alverez come out of the 'pen, you know it's trouble. Nicosio made a key error in the 7th to allow a pair of Nat runs.
Speaking if which, it was an ugly, sloppy game overall, with Washington committing three errors and Philadelphia making two errors on the night.
A big crowd was disappointed in the end with the result. It was Jimmy Rollins Night, as Rollins officially retire as a Phillie. JRoll had a brilliant career. He is the best overall shortstop in Phillies history.He probably won't make the Baseball Hall of Fame but he will always live in the memories of the fans for helping to bring a world championship back to Philly in 2008.
With the loss the Phillies drop to 18-14, now 1 1/2 games ahead of the Braves. Zach Eflin pitches today against the Nationals. Eflin pitched a complete game last Sunday. The Phillies need to get rid of the bad taste of Saturday's tough loss and take this series against a wounded Washington club.
- The Sixers can take firm control of their playoff series with Toronto with a win this afternoon. A loss sends the series back to Canada tied 2-2, with the Raptors holding home court advantage again.
- For the first time in the 145 years of the Kentucky Derby, the horse that crossed the finish line first did not win the race. Maximum Security, 9-2 when the race started, interfered with Country House down the stretch and was disqualified, making the 65-1 long shot the winner. The DQ cost bettors over $9 million. The largest bet on Country House paid over $162,000 to win.
The track was rain-soaked and sloppy form a heavy rain, the second year in a row the track has been deemed muddy. Country House's victory was the second longest-shot in the history of the Derby.
It will be interesting to see if Country House, a winner for only the second time in its career, is a favorite in the Preakness Stakes in two weeks.
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