Phillies lose one of their wildest games in recent memory

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They don't get much crazier than this.

The Phillies lost, 10-9, to the Baltimore Orioles in 10 innings at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday night.

Baltimore's Austin Hays led off the 10th with a two-run, inside-the-park homer against Phillies reliever Deolis Guerra.

The Orioles, as mandated by MLB's COVID protocols, started the inning with a runner on second.

The Phillies started the bottom of the 10th with a runner on second. Jay Bruce had an RBI single, but the Phils could not push home another run even though they had runners at second and third with one out.

Hays' homer, his first of the season, came on a line drive to center field. Roman Quinn sprinted in and tried to make a diving catch, but the ball got by him and rolled to the warning track as Hays circled the bases.

It was one of the wildest Phillies games in recent memory. The Phillies were at times clutch and at other times sloppy.

They trailed, 8-6, in the bottom of the ninth but tied the game on a two-out single by Didi Gregorius.

The Orioles had rallied for three runs against Phillies closer Hector Neris in the top of the ninth.

The first run came on a one-out single by Renato Nunez.

With two outs, the Orioles scored two runs on an infield pop up that fell in when Phillies third baseman Jean Segura tripped over the pitcher's mound and could not make a play.

First baseman Rhys Hoskins had a bead on the ball, but Segura called him off.

Pedro Severino, who hit the infield pop up, was credited with a two-run single.

It was a dreadful inning for the Phillies, who just moments earlier had taken a one-run lead on a pair of eighth-inning homers by Bryce Harper (two-run shot) and Segura (solo shot).

Starter Zack Wheeler left with the game tied at 3-3 in the sixth. Reliever Tommy Hunter allowed three hits and two runs to the first three batters he faced in the seventh as the Orioles took the lead.

The Phillies had just three hits through seven innings. 

The loss dropped the Phillies to 5-7. Baltimore is 8-7.

The bullpen

Neris blew a save in the ninth. He walked the leadoff man and allowed a one-out double. He then intentionally walked the bases full before giving up a game-tying hit. He struck out the next batter then got the pop up that fell in for two runs.

The Phillies’ bullpen has allowed 40 earned runs in 35 1/3 innings. That 10.19 ERA is the worst in the majors. 

Wheeler’s night

It was pretty good — until the sixth inning. That’s when Wheeler was tagged for three runs and the Orioles tied the game.

Wheeler allowed a double, an RBI single and an RBI double to open the frame. He then gave up the tying hit on a single to Dwight Smith Jr. Phillies second baseman Scott Kingery nearly made a diving play on the ball, but it clanged off his glove.

Wheeler had a good fastball — he topped out at 98 mph — but struck out just two.

Trade candidate

Baltimore right-hander Alex Cobb pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed three hits and three runs, one of which was unearned.

Cobb used mostly off-speed stuff — splitter and curveballs — in keeping Phillies hitters off balance. He racked up three 1-2-3 innings. He left with the game tied, 3-3, in the sixth and two men on base. Lefty Tanner Scott relieved Cobb. He struck out Gregorius for the second out then walked Segura to load the bases. Scott ended the threat by getting Bruce to ground out into a right-side shift.

Cobb, 32, has a 2.75 ERA in four starts this season. He will get some attention at the trade deadline later this month. However, his $15 million price tag for next season might not make him particularly attractive.

Transactions

The Phillies made several of them as they shuffled the deck in their bullpen Tuesday (see story).

Up next

The Phillies and Orioles play again on Wednesday night. Zach Eflin faces Baltimore lefty Wade LeBlanc (1-0, 6.91).

Eflin pitched four scoreless innings against the Yankees in his season debut.

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