Phillies bats go quiet in first game of day-night doubleheader in D.C.

Final: Nationals 6, Phillies 2

The last time the Philadelphia Phillies (39-33) played baseball, a position player was their best arm on the mound in their most lopsided defeat of the season. The baseball gods and mother nature have a funny way of collaborating and after five hours of rain delays and two postponements in the nation’s capital, the Phillies were granted two days of rest and resumed their season with the first of a day-night doubleheader against the Washington Nationals (34-38). The two days off did not result in a different outcome as the Phillies dropped this game to the Nationals by a final of 6-2.

The offense got to work almost immediately. After two quick fly ball outs from lead off man Jean Segura and Bryce Harper, Nationals starter Patrick Corbin gifted Scott Kingery with a rear hanging slider and the end result was a home run into the visitor’s bullpen and a 1-0 lead for the Phillies:

The Nationals responded back in their half of the first. Adam Eaton began the threat with a double and after a charged error to Kingery on a sharp ground ball off the bat of Anthony Rendon, Juan Soto pulled in his 22nd career RBI against the Phillies

Scoring did not resume until the bottom of the fourth. Two doubles in the inning from Matt Adams and Gerarado Parra gave the Nationals their first lead.

Before that, both pitchers were cruising and it looked as though the game could stay tied until the bullpen took over. Corbin especially was dealing. He struck out seven of nine batters spanning from the second inning to the fifth and looked well on his way shutting out of the Phils throughout the rest of his outing.  

Corbin wasn’t as dominant in the sixth, however. The Phillies threatened to tie the game after getting their first two hitters, Harper and Kingery, on base. On Kingery’s single, Harper tried for third, and after hesitation rounding second, he was called out on a nice throw from Parra and well applied tag from Rendon. With Kingery staying at first on the play, the next batter Rhys Hoskins singled, but the Phils were unable to bring either Kingery or Hoskins home as J.T. Realmuto hit into a fielder’s choice and Sean Rodrgiuez grounded out to third to end the inning.

The inability to capitalize in their half of the sixth proved even more costly as the Nationals added onto their lead soon after. Eflin began the inning by surrendering his first non-intentional walk of the game to the speedy Soto. Soto then stole second and after a flyout from Matt Adams, Brian Dozier smacked a double down the left-field line, scoring Soto easily and increasing the Nats lead to two.

Unlike Sunday, the game was in reach for the Phils for most of the game. Then came the eighth inning. Manager Gabe Kapler opted to put in Cole Irvin and keep him in, trusting that he could get the right-handed hitting Dozier out with Soto on base and the left-handed hitting Parra due up next. Kapler’s gamble did not pay off and Irvin allowed a two-run home run to Dozier. The next batter Parra then crushed the ball into right, extending Washington’s lead to five:

The Phillies got a run back after an RBI triple from Brad Miller in the ninth, but that didn’t prove to be the start of a larger rally. The team hopes for better results as they’ll play one more against the Nationals tonight in D.C.

Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance

Just like his last start at home against Arizona, a lack of run-support doomed Zach Eflin. He threw his ninth quality start of the season, but it still was not enough for the Phils, whose bats struggled mightily against Corbin. Eflin’s command wasn’t perfect, as he did give up three walks over six, but he was able to weather the storm when the Nats bats were threatening and keep the Phillies in the game. Once again, Eflin continues to prove himself as, at the very least, a very reliable starter for the Phillies.

Phillies Nuggets Player of the Game: Patrick Corbin

The Nationals $140 million dollar man was dealing. His only hiccup was a first inning home run, but other than that, he had the Phillies looking clueless. He struck out eight over seven innings and despite losing his command at times and having to pitch himself out of jams, he still only managed to give up one earned run. It’s been an up-and-down season so far for Corbin and if he could string a few more of these performances together and their bullpen continues to improve after a disastrous start to the season, the Nats could still find themselves playing meaningful baseball come September.  

Ticket IQ Next Game

• Wednesday June 18th 7:05 P.M. vs. Washington Nationals @ Nationals Park
• NBC Sports Philadelphia
• SportsRadio 94 WIP; WTTM 1680 (Spanish)

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