| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Phillies (72-65) |
6 | 10 | 0 |
| Cincinnati Reds (64-75) |
2 | 6 | 0 |
| W: N. Vincent (1-2) L: A. Garrett (4-2) | |||
| Statcast | Gamecast | Game Thread | |||
In 2011, the powerful Phillies had a 102-60 record, but fell in the League Divisional Series to the Cardinals, 3 games to 2. The window would slam shut on Philadelphia after St. Louis sent them off to fall golf. For the next 7 years, the Phillies have failed to post a winning season. Now, 7 games over .500 in the final month of the season, having spent “stupid money” to acquire Bryce Harper, to go along with sizable contracts to Jake Arrieta, Jean Segura and Andrew McCutchen, the Phillies hope the dog days of their rebuild are finally over.
It also serves as a reminder how not all rebuilds run a consistent upward trajectory.
A combination of 6 games in 4 days and expanding rosters made for the rare bullpen game for the Reds. A parade of arms—Lucas Sims, Amir Garrett, R.J. Alaniz, Sal Romano, Matt Bowman and Wandy Peralta made for a strange-looking game on the mound for the home team.
The Good
Tucker Barnhart. You know it’s not going to be a great night when most of the offense comes from your catching tandem. Tucker had 2 hits in 4 at bats; Curt Casali singled in his only AB in the 8th.
Sal Romano . Big Sally had a clean inning, striking out 2.
Matt Bowman. Matt retired 6 batters over 2 innings, looking very sharp.
The Bad
This Offense. With no Eugenio Suarez in the lineup, this offense, which is already on life support, basically flatlined tonight.
Amir Garrett. Amir continues to struggle with his control, walking 2 and giving up 2 hits.
The Ugly
Wandy Peralta. Wandy has forgotten how to pitch. A single to open the home 8th by Curt Casali would later result in a run when Alex Blandino hit a a sacrifice fly to pull the Reds to within 2 at 4-2. The dream wouldn’t last. The bullpen doors swung wide and the game would shortly be off the leash, as Peralta entered and proceeded to give up a gopher ball, then 3 more hits, resulting in two unnecessary insurance runs for Philly.
The Second Guess
As I watched Freddy Galvis repeatedly swing at pitches over his head, it crystalized in my mind exactly why Mr. Galvis has a lifetime .291 OBP in 8 seasons in the big leagues. I don’t miss much, do I?