OOTP 5/14: A doubleheader again?

Game 1 - Dodgers 8, Phillies 4

Everything was going hunky dory until the bullpen happened.

Spencer Howard had his third good outing in a row, the Phillies were leading 4-1 going into the seventh....then the wheels came off. Buoyed by three errors in the inning, the Dodgers pushed across seven runs and ended the winning streak.

The Phillies continued the pound the ball, bashing out three home runs to go with the eight from the night before, but it was not enough. They weren’t going to win this game without quality defense and tonight, they didn’t have it.

It was a shame that the bullpen could not hold the lead, as Howard certainly deserved the win. But these things happen. There would be another game to start a new streak.

Game 2 - Phillies 5, Dodgers 4

Now.

This is more like it.

Sure this game had some disappointment, but let’s look at the positives:

1. Jake Arrieta was spectacular again, going seven innings, only allowing three runs on four hits in under 100 pitches.
2. The Phillies continued to pound the ball, pushing their league leading OPS to an astonishing .840. AS A TEAM!
3. Seranthony Dominguez seems to be healed. He’s been dominant since coming back from the IL.

It didn’t look good in the ninth, as Hector Neris untied a 3-3 score by hanging a splitter to Cody Bellinger, who helped by depositing it into the right field upper deck. Undaunted, the Phillies came right back themselves, sending two pinch hitters up in the ninth in the form of J.T. Realmuto, who homered to tie it, and Jay Bruce, who homered to win it.

Let’s hope this is the beginning of their second long winning streak.