An early implosion with a dash of dysfunction saw the Phillies drop the rubber game of their three-game series to the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday 10-8, spoiling Nick Maton’s coming out party that featured two home runs and four RBI.
The Blue Jays jumped on Chase Anderson immediately, plating seven runs in the first two innings — and they started immediately with back-to-back home runs from Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette. They proceeded to hang up another five in the second with all being credited to the Phillies’ starter.
Singles from Danny Jansen and Bichette accounted for three of those second-inning runs before doubles from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Randal Grichuk plated another pair.
Then it was time for some drama, which stemmed back to Jean Segura committing an error with one out in the first inning and then didn’t go to the mound when manager Joe Girardi took Anderson out of the game an inning later
Segura was then caught on the Phillies’ broadcast yelling at Girardi in the dugout while being held back by third base coach Dusty Wathan.
The Blue Jays would pick up another run in the third when Semien doubled home Lourdes Gurriel Jr., who also had three hits on the day.
Philadelphia would try to make things interesting with three runs in the fifth, which was headlined by Maton’s first career home run and Andrew McCutchen’s sixth of the season.
They drew to within four when Maton left the yard again to center field, but it was canceled out by Semien’s third RBI of the day on a fielder’s choice.
The Fightin’ Maton’s wouldn’t say die, though, as the rookie drove in a pair in the eighth with a single, but Guerrero and the Jays struck right back when the young slugger belted his 11th home run of the season in the bottom of the frame.
It was much-needed insurance for Toronto as the Phillies made one last push in the ninth.
Brad Miller drove in a run to get the Phillies within three before Odubel Herrera drove a liner with two runners on that nearly tied the game, but hit the wall for a single, scoring Miller. With runners on first and third with two outs the injured Bryce Harper, who replaced Scott Kingery late in the game, struck out to dash the Phillies’ comeback.
