Stunned.
That would be the best way to describe the setting at Citizens Bank Park when Jhoan Duran allowed the tying run to slither across home in the form of an RBI single by Daylen Lile. Having the entire ballpark brought to life with yet another magical entrance, the Durantula allowed the game to be tied, then the person responsible for giving the Phillies the lead allowed the Nationals to take the lead.
Just stunned.
The game started with Taijuan Walker struggling in the first inning, allowing a three
run home run to Riley Adams to leave the yard and give Washington an early lead.
It was a ball that just kept going and going and going until it was gone. Just like that, all the goodwill the team had garnered against the Mariners was shrunken. The ballpark still had a buzz, but it felt lessened by that Adams clout.
Facing Cade Cavalli for the second time in a week, one would think the offense would have him figured out, but Cavalli pitched pretty well. He had some troubles to wiggle out of, like in the first when he loaded the bases with two outs, but he got Brandon Marsh to line out to Robert Hassell in center field, a common theme for the evening. In the second, with runners on first and third and one out, Cavalli got Trea Turner to ground into what looked to be a double play, but the speed of Turner allowed him to beat it out, let Nick Castellanos score and put the Phillies on the board.
But, after that run, both pitchers settled in a bit and kept the game the same until the sixth when Tanner Banks replaced Walker for the Phillies, who got out of his innings unscathed. Cavalli, even with a pitch count that was rising, was allowed to pitch in the sixth in what looked to be a fine decision when, even though he allowed Castellanos to double, he got two outs before facing Bryson Stott. Stott made the Nationals pay with a long two run home that tied the game at three.
The game had the feel of “just get it to Duran” once the game was tied as he has felt Thanos-like in his inevitability, so it just needed a hero.
J.T. Realmuto gave them that jolt in the seventh.
That ball was crushed.
That meant that all we needed with Duran to close it out and the good vibes would keep moving.
The Nationals had other ideas.
With one out, Dylan Crews shot a ball into the corner for a double, bringing up Lile, who has beaten the Phillies pretty good these last few times the teams have played each other. Tonight, he put a dent in the Duran armor, singling in Crews and knotting the game at four.
It was quite shocking, but it wasn’t done yet. On the next hitter, Lile broke for third and Realmuto attempted to throw him out, except he threw the ball into left field and the Nationals had the lead.
The Phillies went quietly in the ninth and the win, unexpectedly, went to the Nationals.
Duran is going to blow games. That was bound to happen. The throw by Realmuto was probably one he’d like to have back were he to choose again, but he did it and the error happened and the Phillies lost. It’s one of those games they’ll likely bounce back rather easily from, but still, a shocker to witness.
