Detrimental defense: Mariners 5, Phillies 4

We have been saying all year the Phillies’ defense is going to cost them some games, and that happened to be the case in Tuesday’s 5-4 loss to Seattle. The defense committed a whopping four errors, yes you read that right. Four errors just can not happen for a major league team.

One of the errors was by Rhys Hoskins on the following play which seemingly made no sense, Adam Frazier knocked the ball out of Hoskins’ glove yet was still called safe.

Other than the errors, the inconsistency of the Phillies’ lineup reared its ugly head again. After a 17-hit, nine-run performance from the Phillies in game one of the series, they struggled to get anything going in game two recording only five hits.

Yes, three of those hits happened to be solo home runs but their inability to get baserunners was a key reason for the loss. Aaron Nola started for the Phillies and struggled right out of the gate. The Mariners scored two first-inning runs, on a broken-bat single and swinging bunt.

Bad luck and bad defense were the stories of the game for Nola and the ‘Phils. He pitched 5.1 innings, allowing nine hits and four earned runs. But, then Brad Hand entered the game for Nola in the bottom of the sixth and brought a gasoline can with him to the mound.

The first four hitters Hand faced resulted in a walk, hit batter, sacrifice fly, and single. Bringing the Mariners’ total to five runs. It would have been nice if Hand could have bailed Nola out but that was not the case. While Hand did not get any earned runs he certainly did not stop them from scoring.

For the Mariners, it was reigning AL Cy Young winner, Robbie Ray, who started the game and struck out 10 Phillies batters over 5.2 innings. Ray gave up two hits and two runs in his outing.

The Phillies’ offense was the aforementioned solo home run show which included appearances by Nick Castellanos, Rhys Hoskins, and Jean Segura, who homered for the third straight game. Another run scored with Segura touching home on a wild pitch.

Castellanos has been the Phillies’ best hitter so far this year, with the solo shot being his fifth and holding a batting average of .311, he seems to be fitting in quite nicely with this ballclub. With the loss the Phillies road record falls to 4-8, and the schedule ahead is not getting any easier with a four-game series against the Dodgers on the mend.

The rubber match on Wednesday is a huge game for the ‘Phils. They have a chance to win a road series for the first time this year and hopefully build some momentum heading into the weekend.

The first pitch of game three is scheduled for Wednesday at 3:40 pm with Bailey Falter starting for the Phillies against Logan Gilbert for Seattle.