PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Phillies stared defeat in the face.
After quick outs from Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber to start the ninth, the game seemed just about over.
A bloop single by Alec Bohm gave the Phillies their second hit of the afternoon. A walk from a pinch hitting Edmundo Sosa would put the tying run at the plate in the form of Adolis Garcia.
Garcia would pop up on the first pitch of the at-bat. However, a second error by first baseman Burger would give him new life.
The club's new right fielder delivered in his second chance. Driving a double to left, he would score Bohm, giving the Phillies their first run.
With a chance to tie the game, Brandon Marsh came through. Driving a ball into right field, Marsh scored both Sosa and Garcia to lock the game at 3-3.
Just two games in, we had free baseball in Philadelphia.
Jhoan Duran took the mound in the top of the tenth inning for the Phillies.
In his second appearance of the season, Duran's entrance was a welcomed one after fans sat through 8.2 innings of scoreless baseball.
Brandon Nimmo was the Texas ghost runner to start. He would advance and later score on a wild pitch to retake the lead for his team.
With two outs, Andrew McCutchen would single home another run, making it a 5-3 ballgame.
Duran would only be charged with one earned run, but did allow both to score.
Down two in the bottom of the tenth, the Phillies would need more late inning heroics.
Otto Kemp would pinch hit for Justin Crawford, where he would get hit by a pitch. The tying run was now on first.
The top three hitters of the Phillies lineup had a chance to re-write a bleak performance.
Harper would be the only one to come through, hitting a broken bat single into right field to drive in another run. This was Harper's first hit on the year.
Bohm, who had extended the game earlier, was tasked with doing it again.
With a full count and two outs, Bohm would pop out, ending the ballgame.
The Phillies fell to the Rangers' 5-4.
Before the chaos of the ninth, Aaron Nola was the story of the game.
As we have come to expect, it was the same old Nola.
To his credit, Nola has become a model of consistency in Philadelphia. You almost always know what kind of performance you will receive when he takes the mound for the Phillies.
One of the best strikeout artists in baseball, Nola's knuckle curveball has been known to cause hitters issues. However, when he struggles to locate that very pitch, it nearly becomes a beach ball for the opposing offense.
Nola struck out seven Rangers' hitters in his first start of the season. He also allowed two home runs.
Nola finished with the following line: five innings pitched, five hits, three earned runs, two walks, seven strikeouts and two home runs allowed.
