Leading into the San Fransisco series, the Phillies had won their series against the Rockies, but in the last game, lost it by leaving many runners in scoring position. This problem would continue into the Giants series and become more of an issue. It’s no secret that last season the Phillies, despite their enormous numbers of leaving runners in scoring position, it has been the difference between many more victories and many more defeats. Giant blunders lead to the Phillies’ demise.
Game 1 Fiasco
In the first game of the series, it looked like Rob Thompson took a page out of Gabe Kapler’s playbook. The starting pitcher of record was Connor Brogdon, but he would get into early trouble and would be relieved by Bailey Falter. The Phillies would strike first with an Alec Bohm two-run home run in the top of the second. However, the Phillies’ pitching would load the bases with Giants in the first two innings.
In the second inning, an old foe would rear his ugly head, Micheal Conforto. Conforto had 22 home runs against the Phillies and would launch out number 23 for a three-run home run. Pairing this home run with a fielding error that would also score a run for the Giants. At the end of the second inning, the Giants were leading 6-2. Alec would choose to come through for the Phillies once again by hitting an RBI single in the top of the sixth inning. The Phillies would go on to lose this game by a final score of 6-3.
Close But Not Enough
With the next game in the series, the Phillies were looking to get off to a better start in game two. So the Phillies sent their ace to the mound to potentially get a win. In the bottom of the third inning, Phillie killer Micheal Conforto would hit an RBI single, and along with another RBI single by one of his teammates, the Giants would jump out in front 2-0. In the top of the fourth inning, the Phillies would strike back for two runs.
The Giants would regain the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Thanks to more fielding mistakes, the Giants, Sable, and Wade would both score RBIs in the inning. The Phillies would crawl closer to the Giants in the top of the ninth inning. Thanks to a solo home run by Schwarber, but it wouldn’t be enough for the Phillies to overcome. Despite Wheeler giving a great performance with eight strikeouts. The fielding blunders are what did the Phillies in, along with continuing to leave runners in scoring position. In fact, after this game, the Phillies were 1-34 with runners in scoring position in the last three games, which hasn’t been done since 1974.
Missing Clutchness
Leading into the series finale, the Phillies had to create runs and minimize their fielding blunders. The Phillies would have Walker on the mound, hoping to keep the Giants offense off the board. That hope would be short-lived because, in the bottom of the first inning, Casey Schmidt would score a two-run single. The Giants weren’t done there. Both Sable and Crawford hit RBI singles in the first. After this, Walker’s pitch count was up to 30, and he didn’t look like he had his best stuff.
So before the end of the first inning, for the second time in this series, two Phillies starters were pulled from the game. The Phillies would strike back for three runs in the top of the third inning. With a two-run double for JT and an RBI single by Alec Bohm. Bryson Stott would add another run to tie in the game in the top of the fifth inning. But a late-game collapse by the Phillies would have the Giants score three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Giant Blunders, Phillies’ Demise
The summary of this series is not strong enough for starting pitching performances, along with little league-like fielding errors. Some of these things can be easily fixed, but the one problem that Phillies have been having for a very long time is solving how to get more runners home once they are in scoring position. With the bases being larger, stealing bases has increased. Therefore, maybe some of those runners in scoring position stat is a bit inflated, but this is the pros, and you need to simplify the game to get those runners home. The Phillies went 2-4 on this road trip, which that record should at least be reversed.
The Phillies won the Colorado series, but the pitching for the Giants should have been destroyed by this lineup. Instead, the Giants look like they have a great starting pitching staff when they don’t. Coming home to face the Cubs, the Phillies have to get back to basics on all aspects of the game. Not only to prove it to themselves but to prove it to their supportive fans. The Cubs series should be one that the Phillies should take, but if the Phillies make more giant blunders, they could be looking at a huge uphill climb later in the season. Giant blunders lead to the Phillies’ demise.
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