There is no sugarcoating it: this was a deeply unpleasant game. It didn’t look that way for most of it. Early on there was a charming, cheering, homer clanging off the foul pole from a most unlikely hitter, and later on the Phillies looked like they were in position for a walk-off thriller. But it got bitter, fast, and ended in a fashion that was drawn out and miserable, putting you to bed like a glass of warm, curdled milk.
Andrew Painter hit the first batter, CJ Abrams, who then stole second. Abimelec
Ortiz singled to right, putting runners on the corners, none away. He got the next two out, but a liner from Keibert Ruiz darted past the outstretched glove of new Keystone State keystone man Luis Arraez, scoring one. A nice play from Painter finished the inning with a 1-3 putout.
The Phillies soon tied it on a homer from the least likely batter: Luis Arraez, who had hit just four homers this season, sent a sinker sailing to right field, where it bounced off the foul pole. Arraez is attempting the audacious feat of setting a new speedrun record for becoming beloved in Philadelphia; he might just do it. The Phillies scored another on a sacrifice fly from Justin Crawford.
Though he had pitched solidly through four (3 hits, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K) Painter was pulled prior to the fifth with left hamstring tightness. An injury would be terribly timed for the team, and deeply unfortunate for a young player who’s faced his share of adversity this season; it is to be hoped that his hamstring ailment will prove to be minor. Tim Mayza took over, and navigated through the inning without incident.
Orion Kerkering was up next, and did the same. The Phillies offense remained largely quiet in the sixth, though Bryce Harper made it to base via walk and then got himself caught in a pickle.
Brooks Raley made his Phillies debut in the seventh. A pop-up, a strikeout, and he was one out away from making his debut a clean one. The Nationals called in Brady House to pinch-hit, and he took a sweeper to the house, tying the game with a homer to right. The next batter, Jacob Young, sent one and the same direction, though fortunately not quite as far; the ball bounced off the wall, and Young arrived at second. He didn’t stay long, as Abrams knocked one through the left side of the infield to score him, and to give the Washingtons the lead. Raley struck out a National to end the frame, but the Phillies were behind the 8 ball. They had allowed as many runs as they had hits on the night.
The comeback attempt began with Alec Bohm working a walk, and Brandon Marsh knocking a little dribbler into center, with the ball bouncing perfectly off the mound and past a National glove to land safely in the grass. J.T. Realmuto had a rough at-bat, spending the team’s second challenge on a fastball that just caught the outside of the zone, then taking strike three on a slider well outside of it. A frustrating moment, but one that did not linger: Bryson Stott slapped a single to center soon after, and the game was tied. A pinch-hitting Derek Hill flew out, Kyle Schwarber was hit by a pitch, and soon Trea Turner came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded. It was about a year between grand slams before Hill treated the Phillies to one earlier in the week; it was to be hoped that Turner would make the wait for the next much shorter. Sadly, it was not to be, as he flew out.
Jonathan Bowlan took the eighth. Big Bad John, as his entrance music refers to him, lived up to the nickname, putting a trio of opponents down in order. The Nationals pitchers who took the eighth, Tom Cosgrove and Orlando Ribalta, don’t have nicknames that are nearly as imposing, but accomplished the same feat.
With the game tied at three, Jhoan Duran and his dramatic entrance made their appearance. Like Christmas morning, his appearance is expected, yet no less welcome for it. He quickly got two outs, then allowed a single to Young, and another, this once bouncing off his glove, to Abrams. Fortunately, the next Nat grounded into a 4-3 putout, giving the Phillies the chance for walk-off glory.
But they wouldn’t grab it in the ninth. Stott made it to base via the free pass, but no other damage was done.
Thus we went to extras, with José Alvarado on the mound. Andrew Pinckney, a pinch-runner making his MLB debut, was the designated runner. His debut was not without error: he slipped as he prepared to advance on a fly ball, and failed to reach third, and as such denied the Nationals an advantage. But they would threaten anyway, loading the bases on a hit by pitch and walk. Alvarado then walked in the run for the Nationals, before closing the inning with the next batter.
The Nationals brought in pitcher Clayton Beeter, facing the top of the lineup. Hill was the designated runner, though he was not content to stay at second, stealing third as soon as he could. Schwarber battled across nine pitches before succumbing to the punch-out. Turner lined one out to right, where Dylan Crews made a stunning diving catch to record the out; Hill scored, but it was hard not to feel disappointed by what could’ve been. Harper walked, but made the third out trying to steal second. Worse still, his right hand got tangled up under him as he slid, and he appeared to be in some pain, though it didn’t stop him from continuing to play.
In the 11th, with two runners on, Derek Hill came running towards center to play a long fly ball. As he leapt, he hit his head against the wall. Thankfully, he was able to get up and walk off the field under his own power. Bryan De La Cruz replaced him, with the Phillies now down by two. They were down by three once Miles Mikolas bunted a runner in from third. Caleb Killian was pulled with one out and two runners on. Chase Shugart came in, and surrendered a grounder up the third base line to put the visitors up by five; they were up by six soon after.
The Phillies could not score in their half of the 11th, and this bitter affair came to a bitter end.
The Phillies are 61-54. They’ll conclude the series against the Nationals tomorrow at 6:05.
