Categories: 2021 Postgame Recaps

Phillies flounder with runners in scoring position, lose to Kapler’s Giants

Alec Bohm and the Phillies struggled with runners in scoring position Monday. (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

Final Score: Giants 2, Phillies 0

There are games where the opposing team has Jacob deGrom or Max Scherzer on the mound and you just have to tip your cap to them when you are unable to push across any runs.

Monday wasn’t one of those games for the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Phillies lost Monday to the San Francisco Giants in Gabe Kapler’s return, but it came largely because they left 11 runners on base and went 0-8 with runners in scoring position, not because they were facing a future Hall of Famer.

Top Plays

Mike Yastrzemski doubled with one out in the top of the first inning, and advanced to third base following a deep fly ball off the bat of Evan Longoria. Chase Anderson was able to strike Brandon Belt out to end the inning, though, stranding Yastrzemski at third base.
The Giants threatened again in the top of the second inning, but Anderson was able to work his way out of trouble once again. After Alex Dickerson and Austin Slater reached base to start the inning, Brandon Crawford hit a ball that Mickey Moniak didn’t initially read. Moniak recovered and caught the ball, potentially preventing Dickerson from tagging and going to third in the process. Anderson got Curt Casali to fly out before striking out Kevin Gausman to end the inning:

Longoria doubled into right-center field with two outs in the top of the third inning, and this time, Belt didn’t miss his chance to drive in a run. The 33-year-old hit a two-run home run that traveled 372 feet:

J.T. Realmuto struck out looking on an 84 mph splitter that froze him to end the bottom of the third inning, stranding Rhys Hoskins and Bryce Harper at third and second base, respectively.
Jean Segura’s 200th career double gave the Phillies runners on second and third with no one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, but they weren’t able to capitalize. Mickey Moniak and Nick Maton struck out, and Brad Miller, pinch hitting for Chase Anderson, grounded out to third base to end the inning.
The Phillies stranded runners on the corners again to end the fifth, with Alec Bohm flying out the right field, unable to bring Andrew McCutchen home.

The following inning, well, it wasn’t much different than the ones that preceded it. With Maton and Matt Joyce on base, McCutchen appeared to walk, but a 3-0 pitch that clearly wasn’t a strike was called one by home plate umpire C.B. Bucknor. McCutchen would ground out to end the inning, leaving another runner in scoring position.
The Phillies mustered just one hit over the final two innings of the game, losing 2-0.

Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance

Kevin Gausman threw 68 of his 108 pitches for strikes Monday, which feels appropriate in Gabe Kapler’s return. Gausman has finally turned himself into a very nice Major League pitcher, but frankly, the Phillies let him off the hook tonight. He scattered six hits and four walks over six innings, and ultimately didn’t give up a run because the Phillies were 0-8 with runners in scoring position against him.
Chase Anderson probably would have pitched another inning if there was a DH, but because the Phillies pinch hit for him, the 33-year-old went just four innings Monday night. Still, he wiggled out of some early jams and held the Giants to two runs. He’s not going to compete for the National League Cy Young Award, but Anderson has a 4.15 ERA after three starts. That’s about what you would hope for from the guy you envisioned being your No. 5 starter at the outset of the season.

Phillies Nuggets Player of the Game: Brandon Belt

Belt went 1-4 with two strikeouts Monday, so it’s not as though it was a career game for the former All-Star. Still, the Giants won 2-0, and the two came on his home run.

Postgame Notes

Don’t be surprised if someone other than Andrew McCutchen, now hitting just .157, leads off tomorrow or in the near future. After an 0-4 performance from McCutchen Monday, Joe Girardi said “It’s possible that I might do something a little bit different.”

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