Ugly ninth inning sinks Phillies

Final Score: Marlins 11, Phillies 9

The Phillies managed to overcome a four-run deficit and blow a four-run lead in the same game on Tuesday. And in typical Phillies fashion, they had the lead going into the ninth and the closer could not throw a strike. Corey Knebel, who hasn’t pitched since June 10 after dealing with shoulder tightness, left the game without recording an out. He threw only 16 pitches and 12 of them were balls.

Andrew Bellatti was called upon to pitch with the bases loaded and nobody out. He had the chance to get to two outs with the game still tied after inducing a pop up to Jesus Aguilar behind the plate. The ball fell in and out of the catcher J.T. Realmuto’s glove. Aguilar would later double to right field to score two more runs for the Marlins and that was that.

Questions will continue to be asked about whether or not Knebel should be moved out of the closer’s role, but the bigger problem is that the Phillies are once again short of trustworthy backend arms and the solution might not arrive until August.

“We’ll discuss it,” interim manager Rob Thomson said when asked if Knebel will get the ball in the next save situation.

Eflin recovers after rough first inning

Before Tuesday’s game, Zach Eflin gave up a grand total of four earned runs in 31 innings pitched at Citizens Bank Park. His 1.16 ERA at home this season was the lowest among qualified starters in MLB. After two quick outs on nine pitches, Eflin allowed the next four hitters to come around and score on a pair of two-run bombs.

Since the offense backed him up with eight runs, the thing that matters most about Eflin’s outing is that he recovered and gave the Phillies six innings. He retired 13 consecutive batters from innings two through six and gave his team a chance to come back. The right-hander was pulled after 80 pitches. Twenty-five of those pitches were thrown in the first inning.

Thomson said after the game that Eflin experienced right knee soreness in the sixth inning. He removed him from the game as a precaution. The team will reevaluate Eflin tomorrow.

Bullpen fails Thomson

Let’s be honest: Thomson has made very few meaningful bullpen decisions in his short time as manager since the offense and starting rotation have been so good in the month of June. Tonight, Thomson was presented an opportunity to do something that would backfire and that happened when Jeurys Familia was summoned to pitch in the seventh with a one-run lead. Familia, who was carrying a seven-game streak without allowing an earned run, surrendered three on a home run to Jacob Stallings, who came into this game batting .201 with one home run.

Seranthony Domínguez was called upon to clean up the mess, but the most dangerous hitter in the Miami lineup, Jazz Chisholm Jr., crushed a 1-2 mistake pitch into the right-field seats to tie the game in the seventh.

Phillies waste Rhys’ big night

For a moment, it looked like the Phillies were going to win on back-to-back nights thanks to some heroics from Rhys Hoskins. The Phillies first baseman went 4-for-5 with two home runs and six RBIs, which tied a career high. His fifth-inning double was the 500th base knock of his career. He hit a go-ahead solo home run in the eighth to give his team the one-run lead, but the bullpen surrendered three unearned runs the next half inning.

He didn’t miss that one ? pic.twitter.com/NlCqPUM6en

— Phillies Nation (@PhilliesNation) June 15, 2022

Kyle Schwarber, Hoskins and Bryce Harper combined to go 5-for-10 with five walks in Tuesday’s game.

Ticket IQ Next Game

• Wednesday, June 15 vs. Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park
• 1:05 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC 10; MLB Network (out-of-market only)
• Radio: Sportsradio 94 WIP

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