The Phillies’ pitching staff outside of Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler is a disaster. No matter how big an advantage the Phillies attack builds or how comfortable a game should be, the implications keep happening.
The Phillies sent 11 men to the plate and scored seven runs against the Blue Jays in Game 2 of Thursday’s doubles match. Vince Velasquez immediately put two back in the bottom of the first, but then they actually put in the line. The Phillies opened the sixth inning with a five-run lead, but Velasquez, Connor Brogdon, Hector Neris and the Phillies’ defense gave it all away. Toronto scored seven times, helped by Didi Gregorius’ two-out error that should have ended the innings.
With the Phillies to their final outing, doubles Alec Bohm and JT Realmuto ended up making it a one-run game, but Roman Quinn strutted rounds on the corners to finish it off.
The Phils lost 9-8. They were dyed by the Blue Jays in the doubleheader and stand 1-5 in their three double buyers.
They lost earlier in the day on another blown lead.
The Phillies are 0-9 this season when they scored less than five runs and games like these help explain why. Their pitching staff just does not have enough play to consistently get through games when they do not have the sand of the Nola or Wheeler.
Let it out, Ricky Bo.
You already know he has quite a bit to say after the loss of the Phillies to the Blue Jays. pic.twitter.com/JUrEk7LFIH
– NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) August 20, 2020
Enormous first inning
The biggest hit in the opening frame was Andrew McCutchen’s bases clearing double.
McCutchen, who had two hits in the inning, has since run a slow handful of games to start the season. He has hit .318 and is driving in 12 runs over his last 12 games, giving the Phillies once again a potential leadoff threat with record selection and pop.
The Phillies went 3 for 22 with rounds in scoring position in their opening series against the Marlins. Since then, they have hit .296 with a .915 OPS with RISP.
They went 4 for 6 with rounds in scoring position in that big first inning.
Mixed bag for Velasquez
Velasquez was bad early, bad late, but between retired 12 of 13. His fastball averaged just a tick below 95 mph and he hit seven, but the Phillies needed a few more outs than he could deliver.
Velasquez is 13 straight starts away without completing six innings.
Next
The Phillies head to Atlanta to begin a stretch of 17 straight games against NL East teams. They have three in Atlanta, an off-day Monday and three in DC before returning home to host the Braves.
Here are the chances of pitching for this weekend’s series (all games at 19:10):
Friday – Aaron Nola (2-1, 2.05) vs. LHP Max Fried (3-0, 1.24)
Saturday – Zack Wheeler (3-0, 2.81) vs. LHP Robbie Erlin (0-0, 5.40)
Sunday – Zach Eflin (0-1, 5.14) vs. Josh Tomlin (1-0, 2.35)
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