Categories: 2022 Postgame Recaps

Controversial missed call looms large in Phillies loss to Rockies

Final Score: Rockies 6, Phillies 5

One missed call can’t singularly be blamed for a given loss, but when you’ve struggled as much as the Philadelphia Phillies have at Coors Field in recent years, having the umpire not ring a batter up late in the game against the Colorado Rockies can doom you.

That — and a poorly timed pitch over the heart of the plate — were the story of the Phillies third consecutive loss Tuesday night, a game that at times looked like it could be one of their better wins of the young season.

Rhys Hoskins — hitting second in an ever-evolving lineup — tripled into center field in the top of the first inning:

Hoskins was immediately plated by Bryce Harper, who served a single into left-center field to get the Phillies on the board.

Matt Vierling’s second hit of the night increased the Phillies lead to 2-0 in the top of the fourth inning, bringing Alec Bohm home to score:

While a game can flip quickly at Coors Field because of the long ball, the Rockies grabbed the lead in the home half of the fourth inning by nickel-and-diming Kyle Gibson.

Kris Bryant followed a Charlie Blackmon broken-bat single to lead off the inning by beating the shift with a soft single into right field. A sacrifice fly from C.J. Cron would score Blackmon, and Bryant was brought home on an RBI single by Randal Grichuk. Elías Díaz gave the Rockies the lead with an RBI single, part of a three-run inning where none the the four hits that Gibson surrendered were of the extra-base variety.

To his credit, Gibson was able to strand two runners in the bottom of the fifth inning, and retire the Rockies in order in the bottom of the sixth.

In the top of the sixth inning, Kyle Schwarber flicked a ball 366 feet into the left field stands for a go-ahead, two-run home run:

Seranthony Domínguez came on in relief of Gibson in the bottom of the seventh inning, and appeared to have Blackmon struck out to retire the side in order:

Instead, home plate umpire Paul Emmel called it ball three, and Domínguez ultimately walked Blackmon. Joe Girardi turned to Jeurys Familia after Domínguez allowed an infield single off the bat of Bryant. Familia was a pitch away from getting out of the inning when he hung an 88 mph slider to Cron, who promptly deposited it into the left-field seats for a three-run home run:

Schwarber would single in J.T. Realmuto in the top of the eighth inning, but the Phillies ultimately were shut down by Daniel Bard in the top of the ninth inning.

With the loss, the Phillies fall to 4-8 in 2022, a rather disastrous start for a team that entered the season with playoff expectations. They’ll send Zach Eflin to the mound Wednesday afternoon as they look to avoid being swept in Colorado.

Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance

Kyle Gibson turned in another solid performance, going six innings and limiting the Rockies to six hits and three runs. For as many questions as there have been about the starting rotation thus far, Gibson has been very good, posting a 3.57 ERA in his first three starts.

Kyle Freeland turned in a respectable outing for the Rockies after a concerning start to the season, scattering six hits and two runs over five innings. No matter how he fared against the Phillies, it was going to be a great day for the 28-year-old, who signed a five-year/$64.5 million extension earlier in the day.

Phillies Nugget Of The Game

Bryce Harper reached 10 years of service time Tuesday, actually making him the first player on the Phillies to do so. The next closest to a decade of service time are second baseman Jean Segura (9.065 years) and reliever Jeurys Familia (9.023 years).

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