:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59930225/usa_today_10868646.0.jpg)
Well this one was lame. Not a horrorshow like the 15-2 drubbing opening week. Not a late and close heartbreaker like too many to choose from. Not even a come-from-ahead collapse like too many more. Just boring.
Nick Pivetta had his obligatory monthly stinker, finishing just four innings, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks. He struck out three, but was victimized by poor defense and an inability to locate the corners and more poor defense. Mark Leiter Jr and Victor Arano pitched clean relief, and even Hector Neris was able to work around his own newfound crappiness to strike out the side.
The Phillies’ offense, meanwhile, was unable to solve the Giants’ starter Chris Stratton, who pitched six shutout innings allowing only five baserunners and seven strikeouts. The finished with six hits, including only one for extra bases in Odubel Herrera’s double in the ninth. They had one or two chances to threaten, including the previously mentioned double, but never seriously challenged the plate.
Dylan Cozens made his MLB debut, smacking a single on the first pitch of his first at-bat, and made a terrific running catch on his first outfield chance.
The other new rookie, Mitch Walding, continued his career trend by striking out in his only at-bat. He’s now 0-for-5 with five Ks.
Just boring.
Only one other truly redeeming thing happened tonight.
This guy:
If you ever think you want something on a t-shirt, you can make that happen real fast. Iron on letters are very easy to come by. This has been your crafts corner moment of the day. pic.twitter.com/p5ijGIvk1Q
— Sarah Todd (@NBASarah) June 2, 2018
If you ever think you want something on a t-shirt, you can make that happen real fast. Iron on letters are very easy to come by. This has been your crafts corner moment of the day. pic.twitter.com/p5ijGIvk1Q
— Sarah Todd (@NBASarah) June 2, 2018
Regardless of his home address, this particular fan showed up in his Sixers-themed t-shirt collection, and spent the game visually trolling.
With the loss, the Phils drop to 31-24, two games back in the NL East, and a half game back in the Wild Card race. There’s a lot of baseball yet to go, obviously, but this team is going to need to remember how to hit if they’re going to stay out of the basement. A team that started the season lapping the field in stats like pitches seen per plate appearance, is now in the middle of the field. This has been a great season in a vacuum, but the non-pitching trends over the last month have all been bad.
Figure it out, guys, please?
Game two of this series is tomorrow night, as the Phils’ send Vince Velasquez to the hill against the Giants Andrew Suarez.
Good night, folks.