PHILADELPHIA – In what was a closely contested game through ten innings, the Philadelphia Phillies saw the third game of the series against the Washington Nationals turn on a dime in the eleventh inning, culminating in a 10-4 loss at Citizens Bank Park Wednesday night.
On top of the setback, the Phillies might have more losses than just the one in the standings column.
Starting pitcher Andrew Painter left the game with left hamstring tightness after the fourth inning. Outfielder Derek Hill collided with the centerfield wall and left the game in the final inning and Bryce Harper got his hand stuck in the dirt while sliding into second base.
"He slipped on the pitch to [Daylen] Lile, and it seemed to give out a little bit, and the look on his face," interim manager Don Mattingly said of his starting pitcher's injury.
"Obviously, he pitched a couple innings after that, but [the hamstring] started to get tight on him. So obviously we are going to be careful and get him out of there."
After a strong performance in Baltimore, Painter had hoped to build on that quality start that had reignited confidence from both himself and the front office.
Instead, the 23-year-old was pulled after the fourth, setting up the possibility that scrambling to fill the fifth spot in the starting rotation may rear its ugly head once again.
After allowing a first-inning run, the righty settled in, retiring 10 of his final 12 batters faced, striking out four.
"I thought he was going to be fine, the way he was going after guys," Mattingly said on Painter. "It was the same look we saw in Baltimore. He looked like he was going to be fine, and there would have been no reason to take him out there other than the leg injury."
Hill's injury could be a big blow to the Phillies if he has to miss extended time. He has provided a spark to the team, especially at the plate.
"They were kind of looking at everything. When you run into a wall like that, it's not too forgiving," Mattingly said.
"We'll evaluate it overnight and see how he comes in tomorrow."
Harper stayed in the game after being looked at by the training staff at second base for the aforementioned hand injury. He jammed it while getting caught trying to steal second base to close out the tenth.
The bats were alive early, quickly bailing out Painter in the home half of the second inning. Prized trade deadline acquisition Luis Arraez turned on an elevated 0-2 sinker, lifting it high into the muggy night sky, admiring the towering fly ball waiting to see if it would be fair or foul.
The ball clanked off the yellow foul pole down the right field line, and Citizens Bank Park exploded, wildly cheering for the newest addition to the lineup as he emphatically circled the bases. It was his first home run in 108 at-bats to tie the game at 1-1.
Later in the inning, Justin Crawford gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead with a sacrifice fly.
That score would hold until the seventh inning. Newcomer Brooks Raley coughed up the lead in his team debut, allowing a game-tying home run to pinch-hitter Brady House before a go-ahead RBI single from CJ Abrams gave the Nationals the 3-2 lead.
The Phillies manufactured the tying run in the home half of the frame. With one out and runners at first and second, Bryson Stott laced a single to center field, driving home Brandon Marsh from second to knot things up at 3-3.
Stott has thrived this season with runners in scoring position, now hitting .337 in such situations.
In the tenth inning, José Alvarado lost his command with two outs, walking back-to-back batters, including the light-hitting Nasim Nuñez on four straight pitches to put the Phillies behind 4-3.
The Phillies answered with the tying run in their half inning against Nationals’ closer Clayton Beeter. With Hill on as the automatic runner, he stole third base. Trea Turner ripped an opposite-field liner down the right field line only to be snagged by Dylan Crews on a full-extension dive, but Hill easily scored to tie the game once again.
Things devolved from there as Philly's bullpen ran out of steam, surrendering six runs in the top of the 11th, securing the loss on the rain-filled evening. The Phillies wrap up the four-game series with the Nationals Thursday at 6:05.
