Categories: 2021 Postgame Recaps

Phillies defensive struggles continue in loss to Dodgers

Final Score: Dodgers 8, Phillies 2

The many shortcoming of the 2021 Phillies took a backseat during the team’s recent eight-game winning streak. With the defending World Series champions coming to town, the Phillies had to step up their game in order to sustain their momentum.

Alec Bohm made a costly error at first base in Wednesday’s loss to the Dodgers. (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

They’ve fallen well short in the first two games of the series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Tonight, the team’s poor showing on defense cost them a chance to even up the series.

A costly fielding error from Alec Bohm on what would have been an inning-ending double play scored a run and kept the seventh inning alive. A passed ball from backup catcher Andrew Knapp in the next at-bat made it a three run game.

It’s unclear if J.T. Realmuto will go on the concussion IL and there’s no guarantee that Rhys Hoskins will be back in a week from his groin injury. With the Phillies in the midst of their last truly tough stretch of games this season, players like Bohm and Knapp have to step up in the absence of key players.

The eight-game winning streak gave the Phillies some grace, but all of that can quickly go away if they fail to stay competitive against tough teams like the Dodgers.

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The struggling Cody Bellinger worked out a 13 pitch at-bat, topping it off with a two-run shot that just cleared the wall in left center in the fourth inning. It was a frustrating sequence for Gibson and the Phillies as Bellinger fouled off six pitches in a row before belting a long one. Bellinger saw 37 pitches in his five at-bats.

What’s even more frustrating is that Gibson had the opposing pitcher David Price at the plate with two outs. Instead of limiting the damage, Price notched a double to give the Dodgers a 3-0 lead.

The Phillies responded a half-inning later with some two-out magic of their own. A Didi Gregorius double gave Ronald Torreyes a chance to drive in two runs with a single and he did just that. Odúbel Herrera was a few feet away from giving the Phillies the lead with fly ball that almost cleared the center field fence.

Thanks to a walk-off home run from Ozzie Albies, the Braves are now tied with the Phillies for first place in the NL East. Ranger Suárez will get the ball for the Phillies on Thursday as the Phillies will try to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Dodgers.

Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance

David Price: 4 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER 1 BB, 1 SO, 51 pitches

Price hasn’t gone more than 5 1/3 innings in a start this season, so it wasn’t surprising to see him pulled out of the game after four innings. He was good, not great, but the Dodgers are probably happy just to get four innings out of him considering that he had to sit through a 53-minute rain delay.

Kyle Gibson: 4 1/3 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO, 1 HR, 100 pitches

Wednesday was Gibson’s shortest outing since his 1/3 inning Opening Day clunker back in April. The story could have been different if Bohm made a clean play on Corey Seager’s ground ball to him. Much of Gibson’s success is predicated on his infielders making the plays behind him and that didn’t happen tonight.

Phillies Nugget Of The Game

Price’s fourth inning double was the first extra-base hit in his 13-year MLB career. It came in his 60th career at-bat. Price spent 12 years in the American League, so it’s not too surprising that it took him this long to get an extra-base hit.

Notes

Just minutes before the game began, Gibson was scratched from the starting lineup in favor of Connor Brogdon. The move turned out to be weather related as Joe Girardi did not want another lengthy rain delay to take out another starter. Brogdon walked one batter, allowed one hit and threw 25 pitches. Héctor Neris pitched a scoreless second inning.
J.T. Realmuto was removed from the game in the first inning after getting hit in the face mask with a foul ball. Andrew Knapp came in to pinch hit for Realmuto in the bottom of first as Realmuto underwent testing. Girardi says he’s day-to-day. Luke Williams was the designated emergency catcher.

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