Phillies swept in New York as bats go cold in the clutch originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Phillies ended a disappointing two-day trip to New York with a 6-5 loss to the Yankees in the Bronx on Wednesday night.
The Yankees rallied for a run against Ranger Suarez in the bottom of the 10th to win it.
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The Phillies were swept in the quick, two-game series to fall back to the .500 mark at 47-47.
They were 3 for 21 with runners in scoring position and left 23 men on base in the two games.
They were 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position in Wednesday night’s loss. They had just four hits and stayed in the game mostly because the Yankees’ pitchers walked 11.
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The Yankees also made a costly error when the Phillies rallied for three runs to tie the game at 5-5 in the eighth. In addition to the error, Yankees’ relievers walked four and threw a wild pitch in the inning.
The Phils trail the first-place New York Mets by 3 ½ games in the NL East as they head home Thursday night to start a four-game series against the Atlanta Braves. After that, the Phils host the Washington Nationals in a four-game series. Both of those teams are breathing down the Phils’ back in the NL East race.
The Phillies were forced to use a five-man infield as they survived an error by right fielder Brad Miller in the ninth.
The Yankees opened the bottom of the 10th with a runner, Gary Sanchez, on second. Gleyber Torres bunted him to second and Ryan LaMarre got the run home with a ball over Miller’s head in right.
It was a 2-2 game in the bottom of the seventh when Hector Neris allowed three two-out runs on a base hit by Giancarlo Stanton and a two-run homer by Rougned Odor.
The Yankees blew the lead in the top of the eighth under the weight of an error by Torres, four walks by Zack Britton and Nick Nelson, a wild pitch and a two-run single by Luke Williams. Williams’ hit against Nelson made it a one-run game and the wild pitch, also by Nelson, tied the game.
The Phils were 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position before Williams' hit.
Desperate for pitching after Zach Eflin was placed on the injured list with right knee tendinitis and relievers Bailey Falter and JD Hammer were placed in COVID protocol, the Phils recalled Spencer Howard from Triple A. The right-hander made the start, lasted the prescribed three innings and did not allow a run while allowing a hit, a walk and hitting a batter. Howard struck out two, including dangerous Stanton to end the third inning with two men on base.
Howard exited with a 2-0 lead after Jean Segura led off the game with a first-pitch home run and Bryce Harper doubled home J.T. Realmuto in the third.
In need of innings, manager Joe Girardi went to lefty Cristopher Sanchez in the fourth. He struck out the first two batters before giving up a solo homer to Torres, a single to Brett Gardner and a game-tying double to Greg Allen. Sanchez lasted only the one inning and did not give Girardi the length he needed.
The Phillies’ bullpen carried a heavy load the past two nights in New York. Matt Moore will start Thursday night against the Braves and the Phillies will need some innings from the left-hander, who has only completed five innings in two of his seven starts.
Right-hander Charlie Morton will start for the Braves.
