The big-game feel was in the air on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park, and the crowd of over 37,000 was treated to a starting pitchers’ duel that matched the excitement.
The Phillies bullpen, on the other hand, didn’t quite live up to the hype.
The Phils had been cruising heading into this matchup against the National League East-leading Atlanta Braves, returning to South Philadelphia after winning the final six of a seven-game road trip. The ever-cool Ranger Suárez toed the rubber for Philadelphia against the electric Spencer Strider, both starters tossing six innings of one-run baseball.
While those pitchers dealt, the difference was made once they exited as a seventh-inning Braves push broke the tie and led to a 4-2 Atlanta victory. Ronald Acuña Jr. had the game-winning hit on an RBI single to center field off Phillies reliever Jeff Hoffman in the first of a three-game divisional series.
Philadelphia (38-35) tallied eight hits against Strider, but failed to execute in most situations. The right-hander got swings and misses in key spots, racking up nine strikeouts to work around trouble.
The Phillies got a leadoff single from Kyle Schwarber in the top of the first and appeared ready to strike early as a Trea Turner fly ball died in deep right field into the glove of Acuña. They threatened against Strider again in the fourth with runners on first and second, but a baserunning mistake by Bryce Harper led to a 6-4-5 double play to keep Philadelphia off the board.
Nick Castellanos gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead in the fifth with an RBI single, but Atlanta (47-26) responded in the next frame as Austin Riley went deep, the only blemish on a stellar night for Suárez, who allowed just four hits and two walks and struck out seven.
With Suárez at 99 pitches and the Phillies thin on right-handed bullpen options, Hoffman entered to pitch the bottom of the seventh. That’s where things unraveled, with Acuña singling home the go-ahead run and Ozzie Albies driving in another with a groundout. With left-hander Andrew Vasquez on the mound in the eighth, left-handed batter Matt Olson launched a massive home run down the right-field line to give the Braves a three-run lead.
Castellanos worked a walk in the eighth for Philadelphia, but J.T. Realmuto ended the inning trying to turn a single into a double and getting thrown out. The Phillies did add one more in the bottom of the ninth on an RBI groundout by Kody Clemens, but ultimately could not get the rally necessary to pull off a win.
Shibe Vintage Sports Notes
- Schwarber has hits in five straight games.
- Suárez has a 1.04 ERA in his four starts this month.
Ticket IQ Next Game
- Wednesday, June 21 vs. Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park
- 6:40 p.m. Eastern
- TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia, MLB Network
- Radio: SportsRadio 94WIP
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