Because the Mets and Braves stage an epic race for the NL East crown, the third-place staff in that division abruptly has a lot greater worries.
The Phillies seemed to be cruising in direction of a wild-card spot till a latest slide. Philadelphia has misplaced 9 of their previous 12 video games and their lead over the Brewers has dwindled to 1/2 recreation for the ultimate wild-card spot within the Nationwide League.
The poor play continued on Wednesday night time in a 4-2 loss to the Cubs that was keyed by Aaron Nola surrendering Christopher Morel’s three-run homer within the fifth inning. It was the fourth consecutive loss for the 83-71 Phillies.
“We had 14 baserunners,” Phillies supervisor Rob Thomson mentioned. “We simply didn’t come by with large hits. We’ve gone into stretches like that earlier than. We obtained to come back out of it, and we are going to. We obtained to battle by it and transfer ahead.”
Nola (10-13) was charged with 4 runs — all within the fifth — and 5 hits in six innings. The correct-hander struck out eight and walked none.
Chicago (69-86) received for the seventh time in eight video games. Rookie right-hander Hayden Wesneski (3-1) pitched into the sixth inning, and Yan Gomes drove within the staff’s first run.
Nola breezed by the primary 4 innings, hanging out 5 consecutive batters at one level. First baseman Rhys Hoskins made a diving cease to rob Willson Contreras of successful for the second out of the fourth.
However Nico Hoerner opened the fifth with a leadoff single. He stole second and superior to 3rd on Patrick Knowledge’s single earlier than coming house on a fielder’s selection by Gomes.
Alfonso Rivas then was hit by a pitch forward of Morel’s sixteenth homer, a drive to left discipline. He additionally went deep in Chicago’s 2-1 victory on Tuesday.
Morel is considered one of three rookies in franchise historical past to hit 15 or extra house runs and steal 10-plus bases in a single season, becoming a member of Billy Cowan (1964) and Kris Bryant (2015).
Nola had allowed just one homer in his earlier 25 2/3 innings previous to Morel’s shot.
The loss mixed with the Brewers’ 5-1 win over the Cardinals shrunk Philadelphia’s benefit to 1/2 recreation. The Phillies do maintain the tiebreaker with the Brewers, so would advance to the postseason within the occasion the groups end with the identical data. There are not any tie-breaking Sport 163 matchups this season because of the lockout that pushed the beginning of the common season again.
The Phillies have another recreation left in Chicago earlier than heading to Washington for a three-game sequence for the last-place Nationals.
The Phillies will begin LHP Ranger Suárez (10-5, 3.38 ERA) in Thursday’s sequence finale towards the Cubs. Javier Assad (1-2, 4.28 ERA) takes the mound for Chicago.
— With AP
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