Categories: 2021 Postgame Recaps

Phillies bullpen blows another lead against Reds, wastes excellent outing from Bailey Falter

The Phillies bullpen wasted an excellent piggyback outing from Bailey Falter. (Cheryl Pursell)

Philadelphia Phillies relievers blew another late-inning lead on Monday, wasting an impressive four-inning performance from piggyback pitcher Bailey Falter in a 12-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark.

Falter cruised after entering for starting pitcher Spencer Howard, carrying a 4-2 lead into the seventh inning. Reliever Neftalí Feliz then came in and allowed a go-ahead grand slam, and Enyel De Los Santos surrendered six more runs.

Infielder Nick Maton came in to pitch for the last out of the eighth. He was the only Phillies reliever not charged with a run.

This game was a makeup from June 2, meaning it was a single game instead of one in a series. The Phillies dropped to 36-40 with the loss.

Top Plays

The Phillies threatened in the top of the first, but ultimately couldn’t get a runner home. Odúbel Herrera led off the game with a double to right field, and moved to third on a Rhys Hoskins flyout to right. Andrew McCutchen then walked to bring up Bryce Harper. Harper hit a ground ball to first. Herrera tried to score but had a poor jump, and first baseman Joey Votto threw him out at the plate. Alec Bohm then grounded out to end the frame.
Cincinnati took a 2-0 lead in the third as Nick Castellanos bounced a two-run single past shortstop Ronald Torreyes and into center. That ended the starting pitcher Howard’s outing with one out in the inning in favor of the left-handed Falter.

Philadelphia responded in the fourth. Harper got it started with a single into center, and scored on an Alec Bohm double. Luke Williams reached on a bunt single, moving Bohm to third. Ronald Torreyes then hit into a fielder’s choice to plate Bohm and tie the game.

Bohm added a go-ahead RBI single in the fifth to drive home Herrera. The Phillies scored another when Torreyes hit a bases-loaded, two-out grounder to shortstop and Williams beat the throw to second as Torreyes recorded his second RBI fielder’s choice of the day to extend the Philadelphia lead to 4-2.

Falter was excellent as he piggybacked Howard, cruising through the sixth inning without allowing a run. The lefty got one out in the seventh, but allowed a pinch-hit single to Alejo Lopez and was pulled for the right-hander Feliz. Falter threw four innings, allowed two hits and a walk and struck out six.
Feliz, pitching in the majors for the first time since 2017, walked Aristedes Aquino. He struck out Jonathan India, but hit Jesse Winker with a pitch to load the bases. Castellanos stepped into the box, and he delivered a go-ahead grand slam to put the Reds up 6-4.

De Los Santos came in to pitch the eight. He allowed two runs to score when he threw away a sacrifice bunt from Kyle Farmer. India singled Farmer home and scored on a double from Castellanos, who ran home on a passed ball by Andrew Knapp. Votto hit a solo home run to make it 12-4 before the Phillies called upon Maton, who struck out pinch hitter (and pitcher) Tony Santillian.
Josh Osich shut down the Phillies in the ninth to secure the Reds win.

Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance

Spencer Howard: 2 1/3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 39 pitches

This wasn’t a bad start for Howard. He looked good the first time through the order, but he ran into some trouble in the third and was pulled early by manager Joe Girardi. Based on the right-hander’s recent history of not being able to go deep into games, it’ll likely be how the Phillies manage Howard for the foreseeable future.

Wade Miley: 6 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, 97 pitches

Miley surrendered some runs as the Phillies strung together some positive plays, but he didn’t get hit exceptionally hard. The left-hander gave up no home runs and gave his team a bit of length. Miley also drew a walk at the plate, later scoring on Castellanos’ two-RBI single.

Phillies Nuggets Player of the Game: Nick Castellanos

Cincinnati’s right fielder went 3-for-5 at the plate, giving his team the lead on two different occasions with his first two hits. He collected seven RBIs against Phillies pitching in the game.

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