Put the Brooms Back in the Closet: Reds 6 Phillies 4

The Phillies came in today on the verge of a sweep against the Cincinnati Reds but just fell short after a ninth-inning collapse.

Taijuan Walker struggled with command throughout his outing with five walks, eight full counts, and failing to make it through five innings. He’s one of many pitchers that have struggled to go deep into games this season.

In the fourth, Walker picks up the first pick-off violation of the season, failing to pick off TJ Friedl on the third try. Tyler Stephenson followed that up with an RBI single to make it a 2-1 game. Wil Myers hits a double to left center field to put runners on second and third and Jason Vosler hits a sacrifice grounder to tie the game.

The Phillies’ offense did spirits of damage all afternoon but struggled with poor base running mistakes.

In the first, Kyle Schwarber finally picks up his first walk of the season. After a JT Realmuto strikeout, Nick Castellanos hits a double down the left field line, Schwarber ignored the stop sign, and Spencer Steer hit him so the run scores to put the Phillies in front. The base running gets strange however when Castellanos goes for a little league home run but was easily tagged out at home.

Next inning, Bryson Stott pulled off a classic Ben Revere double, blooping a single into centerfield and swiping second. After a Brandon Marsh walk, Sosa breaks his bat and makes it 2-0, hitting a slow roller that shortstop Kevin Newman couldn’t handle.

In the fourth, Stott the decided to do a great Jeff McNeil impression with a soft single to right center. Connor Overton showcased a great changeup all afternoon but would certainly like to have the 2-2 one to Bohm back. Punch, counter-punch, Bohm hits a 398-foot tank to left and put the Phillies back on top.

Many fans have questioned Rob Thomson’s decisions this season but today certainly wasn’t his fault. He pulled Walker at the right time to get Connor Brogdon against Stephenson, who hit just .214 on changeups last year. Brought Gregory Soto into face the bottom of the Reds order. Had José Alvarado face Jonathan India and Friedl in the seventh, striking out both in a dominant seventh inning.

Craig Kimbrel came in the eighth but looked shaky, walking Myers and allowing a double that went just over Castellanos’s glove. Steer hit a ball to the track but for an out.

Seranthony Domínguez came in for the ninth and disaster struck. With one out, Stuart Fairchild walked on four pitches, Jonathan India on five, and Domínguez got a little unlucky when Edmundo Sosa just couldn’t get to a Friedl soft roller since he was playing in the grass at third to prevent a bunt. After getting ahead to Jake Fraley, Domínguez missed a two-strike fastball down and in for a three-run double, giving the Reds a 6-4 lead.

Ian Gibaut came in for the second straight day, this time recording the outs needed to preserve a Reds win and avoid a sweep.

The Phillies fall to 3-6 on the season with today’s disappointing loss. The Marlins come to town tomorrow night with reigning Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara on the bump. The Phillies actually were pretty good against him last season, winning four of his six starts and recording a 3.16 ERA, compared to his 2.28 season.

First pitch is at 6:40 pm est on NBC Sports Philadelphia.