OOTP 5/20: Dodgers 5, Phillies 4

It started off about as good as it can get, but the starter Eflin could not keep the lead. Another sweep at the hands of the enemy.

J.T. Realmuto has struggled this year. Coming into the night, he was hitting .228/.276/.433 with nine home runs, which isn’t the worst but when he’s coming off having signed a hefty extension, one would expect more. Tonight, he woke up a bit.

Bryce Harper singled with two outs in the first against David Price, then Realmuto got a fastball to his liking and didn’t miss, smacking it into the left field seats for a two-run home run. Didi Gregorius followed with a solo shot of his own and suddenly the Phillies were up 3-0. Everything is great!

Does Eflin let in a run in the bottom of the frame, cutting the lead to 3-1? Sure, but that’s ok. Still have a lead!

Then comes the third inning.

Eflin gets Price out to start the season, but then Turner doubles and Gavin Lux hits a two-run home run. Now the game is tied. Alright, not that bad, but the Dodgers aren’t done. Mookie Betts triples and Cody Bellinger hits a sacrifice fly to get him home and now the lead is gone. Max Muncy comes up and hits a solo home run and Eflin’s night is over. The game is now 5-3 and Price goes into cruise control.

Price ends up going 8 innings, only giving up three more hits after the first inning. Realmuto hits a solo home run in the ninth to get the Phillies within one, but that was it. The Phillies have now lost six in a row and don’t show much sign of getting better.

They’re off tomorrow and then they head off to Colorado. At least Cole Irvin will be there to make his 2020 debut.