Phillies Leave London with Sour Taste After Ninth Inning Collapse
AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth
In the just second but final game in London, the Phillies saw a rare hiccup from a normally dominant bullpen, costing them the series sweep. Of course, they’re not going to be perfect every time, but it was a disappointing relapse in front of an international audience.
Taijuan Walker Loves London
Taijuan Walker, who has faced boatloads of criticism for his start to the season, was lights out across the pond today.
Walker pitched 5.2 strong innings and allowed just two runs while striking out six Mets. This is certainly the best start we’ve seen out of him in almost a month (when he pitched a win against the lowly Marlins), and some may even venture to say this was his best start of the season.
Unlikely Heroes at the Plate
There isn’t one man who embodies the phrase “unlikely hero” more than David Dahl. In his limited time, he’s already established himself as someone who can at least be a reliable bench bat and at best be a solid starter when called upon.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, he added to his impressive start to the season with the first pinch-hit home run for the Phillies in almost a year, and at that very moment, it gave the Phillies back their lead.
Another guy who carved out a solid series across the pond was Whit Merrfield (no stranger to performing for Royals). He went 2-8 and had a home run and four RBI. While these numbers might not jump off the page—minus the home run—at first, this is a significant improvement for Merrifield, who has just eight RBI in 113 at-bats this season.
Lefty Troubles in the ‘Pen
Gregory Soto has struggled all season long, and it was simply highlighted in his outing today.
Soto came on in the sixth and the Phillies’ lead collapsed almost immediately. Bad pitches, bad control, you name it; and in the blink of an eye, it was 3-3.
Then, in the ninth inning, the normally reliable Jose Alvarado took the mound. For one reason or another he was just off. The control wasn’t there, his normal confidence wasn’t there, and he allowed two walks, two hits, and two earned runs, with a third scoring on a passed ball. The Phillies made it a ballgame in the ninth, but ultimately fell just short.
The Phillies will now head back to the States to take on the Boston Red Sox for a mid-week series that is slated to start on Tuesday.
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