San Francisco Remains House of Terror for Phillies as Bullpen Costs Another Series
Jul 8, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jordan Romano (68) on the mound against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
It’s another brutal trip to San Francisco for the Phillies, who drop yet another series at Oracle Park. Since 2018, this place has been a disaster, and this week followed the same script: missed chances, blown leads, one unforgettable collapse, and a cathartic offensive explosion.
What’s most frustrating is that the Phillies easily could’ve won all three games.
Cristopher Sanchez gave them everything in Game 1, seven strong innings, one run, and the kind of effort that usually gets you a win. But the offense once again couldn’t hit with runners in scoring position, extending a streak that hit 0-for-24 by the end of the night. They had chances in the early innings, but everything fell apart late. Phil Cuzzi did not help behind the plate, either.
Game 2 might go down as one of the strangest and most painful losses of the year. The Phillies were the better team for most of the night. Taijuan Walker bounced back with a strong four-inning start. The bullpen of Max Lazar, Tanner Banks, and Matt Strahm looked sharp. Otto Kemp delivered a clutch single to tie the game in the sixth, breaking the 0-26 streak with runners in scoring position. Then in the seventh, Kyle Schwarber delivered the biggest swing of the series to that point, sending a two-run homer into McCovey Cove. For a moment, it felt like the curse of Oracle Park was finally breaking.
Then the ninth happened. Jordan Romano had already closed out the eighth, but when he came back out, the wheels came off. Casey Schmitt doubled, Wilmer Flores singled, and Patrick Bailey, who’s been cold for weeks, hit a fly ball off the bricks in triples alley. It ricocheted just far enough away from Brandon Marsh that Bailey circled the bases for a walk-off, inside-the-park home run, and a 4-3 win for the Giants. It was the first time the Phillies had lost on one since 1946. The first time a catcher had hit one since 1926.
The Phillies had played well enough to win both games. Schwarber looked locked in. Kemp gave them a boost. Even the bullpen, outside of Romano, did its job. They just couldn’t close it out.
Game 3 finally brought some relief, a solid pitching performance, and 13 runs. The hits came with runners in scoring position. The approaches looked better. The energy was different.
Still, it doesn’t change the fact that the Phillies let a winnable series slip away. They’ve now lost 19 of their last 22 games at Oracle Park. And while the pitching, especially the starters, continues to perform, the lack of situational hitting and bullpen reliability is starting to catch up. This trip to San Francisco has exposed one thing that the front office needs to make a priority — securing a reliable closer, though that is likely going to cost the Phils some prospect talent from the pipeline.
This is a team good enough to be in the World Series conversation. But with the trade deadline approaching, it’s fair to ask: how much longer can they ride the rotation without more consistent support from the bats and the bullpen?
The series ended on a high note. But it shouldn’t have taken until Game 3 to find it.
Steve Hamilton
Steve may have been born in California, but don’t let that fool you. After dating a local woman and clashing with her and her family over sports for decades, he has an affinity for Philly sports. Balancing love for Philly and Bay Area sports teams may seem impossible, we can all agree that the Cowboys are the true evil.
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