[ad_1]
PHILADELPHIA – The Phillies moved Ranger Suárez from the reliever box to the rotation in August because they got a new closer on July 30: Ian Kennedy.
The Phillies believed their six-player deal with Texas at the trade deadline fixed a few issues. First, he filled two voids in the rotation with Kyle Gibson and Suárez. Second, they always had a closer to Kennedy.
But Kennedy has struggled since joining the Phillies. He gave Rockies pinch hitter Ryan McMahon a crippling two-hit, two-out, two-run home run to take a one-run ninth inning lead in Thursday night’s 4-3 loss at Citizens Bank Park. Sam Hilliard followed with an imposing homer to provide an insurance run which made the difference.
The loss dropped the Phillies to 3 1/2 games behind the Braves in the National Eastern League with 22 games remaining. If the Braves only go 11-12 the rest of the way, they’ll finish 85-77. The Phillies should go 15-7 to finish ahead of them.
“It hurts a lot,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said. “But we can’t change it. We have to go out and play better tomorrow and find a way to put a streak together here. “
But can the Phillies get started with Kennedy struggling like that in the ninth? He had a 2.51 ERA and 16 saves on 17 occasions in 32 appearances for Texas, allowing five homers in 32 1/3 innings. He has a 6.59 ERA and six saves on eight occasions in 14 appearances for the Phillies, allowing for an impressive six homers in 13 2/3 innings.
“Just mistakes in the middle,” Girardi said. “You look at the [0-2] curved ball he threw [to McMahon]. Looks like it’s almost in the middle of where I’m sitting. It’s hard for me to say where he is, inside and out. But these are just mistakes made in the plate.
Still, Girardi cast a vote of confidence for Kennedy, who was not available for comment.
“We’re going to watch him everyday, but I mean he’s our closest,” Girardi said. “He made some big saves for us too, and some tough saves for us too. Just tonight, I mean, it was a hit. He took out the first two guys and made some shots, then after that he didn’t. I don’t think he can’t, because I saw him do it. He just didn’t do it tonight.
Héctor Neris is a reliever with closing experience. He lost his closest job earlier this season, but has a 1.23 ERA in 29 appearances since July 4.
“My feeling is that I need Héctor so that I can deploy it when I need it,” Girardi said. “You have to go to the ninth. “
Kennedy’s ninth spoiled another fantastic effort from Suárez, who allowed five hits, a run and a walk and struck out six strikes in six innings. Suárez is 6-4 with a 1.38 ERA in 78 innings this season.
If the ERA sounds impressive, it is. According to Baseball Reference, only 42 pitchers in baseball history, including the Black Leagues, have pitched more than 75 innings in a season and posted better than a 1.38 ERA.
Only 19 pitchers have done so in the past 100 years.
Suárez was pulled from Saturday’s start in Miami after five scoreless innings. Girardi then said that Suárez had tightness in his left triceps. It sounded alarm bells in Philadelphia, but Girardi insisted all week that the southpaw was fine.
“I felt a lot, a lot better than my last time in Miami,” Suárez said. “My arm felt really, really good. With a bit of luck [it’s behind me], With a bit of luck. This is what we want. I hope so, it’s behind me and that we can keep moving forward and throwing well.
Bryce Harper hit a solo homerun to left field in the first inning to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead. It was his fourth homerun in five games, his 17th homerun of the season to tie the game or give the Phillies a lead, and his 30th overall homerun as he prepares his record for the NL Most Valuable Player. Award. But the Phillies only managed five hits the rest of the course.
So, yes, the Phillies had to do more offensively against a team that is just 19-50 on the road.
But they still had a lead in the ninth. They were only one shot away.
[ad_2]
Source link