Jeff Hoffman blows up in eighth as Phillies drop second straight to Nationals

Final Score: Nationals 6, Phillies 3

A game-tying two-run home run by Trea Turner in the bottom of the eighth on Saturday put some life back into the Phillies. After scoring one run on four hits on Friday night, they remained scoreless until Turner’s eighth-inning homer on Saturday. Nationals’ starter MacKenzie Gore was a big part in keeping the Phillies’ offense quiet. He limited them to four baserunners in his six innings of work. Gore also punched out nine hitters and generated 22 swings and misses.

The life Turner’s club had didn’t last for long. With the game tied at two entering the bottom of the eighth, Rob Thomson called upon Jeff Hoffman to keep it that way. Hoffman has arguably been the Phillies’ best reliever this year. He’s going to have a very important role in the playoffs. But Saturday wasn’t his day.

After allowing a leadoff triple to James Wood, Hoffman gave up an RBI single to Keibert Ruiz on his next pitch. With the Nationals now ahead 3-2, Hoffman stayed in the game, looking to keep his club within a run. He didn’t.

After recording back-to-back strikeouts, Hoffman was nearly out of the eighth. But a single by Dylan Crews extended the inning, bringing Joey Gallo to the plate. Gallo didn’t miss a 2-1 four-seamer from Hoffman — the pitch caught a lot of the plate — and launched a three-run homer to put the Nats ahead 6-2, all but securing Washington’s second straight win over the Phillies.

The Phillies’ lack of offense and disastrous bottom of the eighth inning wasted yet another great performance by Zack Wheeler. The right-hander needed 6 1/3 innings to reach 200 on the year. He did just that, allowing two runs on three hits across 6 1/3 innings. The two runs Wheeler allowed came on a home run by Wood in the bottom of the sixth inning. Wheeler recorded 11 strikeouts and walked two hitters.

On top of reaching 200 innings, Wheeler turned in his 11th straight start of six or more innings while allowing no more than two earned runs — the longest such streak in Phillies history. Putting a stamp on his Cy Young-caliber regular season, Wheeler looks ready for Game 1 of the NLDS, which is just a week away. As for the rest of the roster, they look like a group that’s ready for the break they’ll get after Sunday’s regular season finale.

Highlights

• Wood’s home run traveled 385 feet.

• Turner’s home run was his 21st of the year.

• Gallo’s homer was a towering shot.

• After a leadoff triple, Nick Castellanos scored on an Alec Bohm groundout in the ninth, making it a 6-3 game.

Notes

• Before Saturday’s game, Rob Thomson told reporters, including The Athletic’s
  Matt Gelb, that Austin Hays has a sore back. He’s being evaluated further. Thomson also said Johan Rojas is not with the team right now because he’s sick.

Ticket IQ Next Game

• Sunday, September 29 vs. Washington Nationals at Nationals Park
• 3:05 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
• Radio: 1210 WPHT
• Spanish Radio: WTTM 1680

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