Lack of clutch hitting and poor defense doom Phightins’
By Chris Murray
For the Philadelphia Sunday SUN
Washington Nationals’ Stone Garrett rounds the bases after hitting a grand slam plays during a baseball game, Sunday, July 2, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
On a day when starting pitcher Ranger Suarez was having one of his worst outings after a spectacular month of June, the Philadelphia Phillies offense needed to come up with something to pick up their teammate.
Unfortunately, the Phils failed to deliver into many crucial situations and ended up losing to the last-place Washington Nationals by a score of 5-4 at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday.
In the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, the Phillies had runners in scoring position, but they couldn’t come up with the big hit when they needed it. In fact, the team went 1-8 with runners in scoring position despite getting 10 hits in the game.
“We hit into three double plays,” said Phillies manager Rob Thomson. “They can kill rallies pretty quick.”
The Phillies jumped on Nationals starting pitcher Trevor Williams in the first inning and took a 3-0 lead on a solo homer from right fielder Nick Castellanos and a two-run shot by catcher J.T. Realmuto that scored Bryce Harper, who reached on a single.
But the Nationals struck back in a big way in the top of the third thanks to a misplay in the outfield that led to a grand-slam home run by Washington leftfielder Stone Garrett. After Nationals catcher Riley Adams on a groundout from Suarez to first baseman Darick Hall, a catchable routine flyball hit by Washington centerfielder Derek Hill fell between Phillies leftfielder Kyle Schwarber and centerfielder Brandon Marsh.
“That was just a bad outfield play by me,” Marsh said after the game. “I gotta be more assertive in that situation. I know it’s a ball in the middle, but that’s my ball. I gotta speak up and get loud and let it be known that it’s my ball. I didn’t do that today.”
Hill took second on the play. Suarez struck out Nationals right fielder Lane Thomas for what should have been the final out of the inning. But then Suarez gave up walks to Jeimer Canedelario and Joey Meneses to load the bases. Stone’s round-tripper gave the Nationals a 4-3 lead.
“We didn’t help (Suarez) out. That ball in centerfield needs to be caught,” said Thomson. “I talked about Marsh about that, and he needs to take control of that. He needs to take charge. He’s the captain of the outfield. Go get it. At times, he gets a little tentative.”
The Nationals increased the lead to 5-3 on a homerun by Candelario in the top of the fifth.
After experiencing a month of June where he dominated opposing batters with a 1.08 earned run average, Starting pitcher Ranger Suarez came back to earth with a tough outing Sunday against Washington. He allowed five runs, seven hits, and two home runs with three walks and five strikeouts. A miscue in the outfield that gave the Nationals an extra out didn’t help, but he had his issues, nevertheless.
“He lost the plate there in the fourth, but we didn’t help him out there that ball in centerfield needs to be caught,” Thomson said. “It was his command and control today. He lost the plate in the fourth. He tried to get it back, but (Stone) saw a fastball over the plate.…grand slam.”
Speaking through team interpreter Diego Ettedgui, Suarez said his control wasn’t there on Sunday.
“It wasn’t a good day for me today,” Suarez said. “I didn’t have control of my pitches. Most of them were in the middle. When you can’t locate your pitches, it’s hard to have a good day.”
Philadelphia would cut the deficit to 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI double by Castellanos that scored Schwarber, who doubled to begin the inning. After a Bryce Harper walk, Realmuto hit into a double play. They would do the same thing in the bottom of the eighth when they had second baseman Bryson Stott on second after a single by first baseman Darick Hall.
Unfortunately, Marsh hit into another rally-killing double-play. The Phillies would come no closer.
The Phillies will head to the state of Florida for two critical road series against two contending teams. They will take on the American-League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays and National League East rival Miami Marlins, a team that is second place behind the front-running Atlanta Braves.
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