LOS ANGELES – Winning baseball games is still the top priority for the Phillies as they end a regular season that produced a second consecutive National League East title … But playing fundamentally sound games is also high on the to-do list.
During their three games at Dodger Stadium, the Phillies developed two habits. One was getting behind the Dodgers early in the game, the other was coming back in dramatic fashion to secure improbable wins.
Only one of those habits was visible on Wednesday as Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell stymied the Phillies all night and the Dodgers took their only game of the series with a 5-0 shutout. The Phillies only got three hits.
There was no comeback to be had.
“We just came off 15 in a row and we were 11-4 during that stretch,” said Rob Thomson. “So, it’s pretty good against some pretty good clubs. I think the day off is coming at the right time and we’ll strap it on on Friday.”
Freddie Freeman provided all the offense the Dodgers would need when he homered off a Jesús Luzardo sinker to lead off the second inning. Los Angeles added another run later in the inning on three straight singles, the last by Ben Rortvedt which scored Miguel Rojas. They added another in the fourth when Andy Pages worked a two-out walk, stole second, went to third on a bad pickoff throw by Luzardo and scored on a single by Kike Hernandez.
To lead off the eighth, Shohei Ohtani drilled Luzardo’s 106th and last pitch of the night into the centerfield seats for a 4-0 lead. That was his 51st home run of the season. Orion Kerkering gave up a run in the eighth on a walk, a single and a sacrifice fly by Tommy Edman to end the night’s scoring.
“The whole outing I didn’t feel like I had my best stuff,” said Luzardo. “Felt like we ran it through and kept it solid enough, kept us in the game. We filled up the zone and found different ways of getting out, even though maybe the sweeper wasn’t as sharp as it has been and the fastball command wasn’t really there. I thought we used the changeup a good bit and just grinded through, not having my best stuff, making through seven, I thought that was a big plus.”
Only two times did the Phillies put a little pressure on Snell. In the second, they got consecutive two-out singles from Bryson Stott and Harrison Bader, but Snell got Kyle Schwarber to strike out looking on a nasty curveball.
“That’s the best I’ve seen Snell. He was really good,” said Thomson. “He threw strikes and pounded the zone and the curveball was really good to lefthanders and the changeup was really good to our righthanders. Couldn’t muster too much.”
Nick Castellanos and Max Kepler worked two-out walks in the seventh inning and it appeared Snell’s night was over, as manager Dave Roberts made his way to the mound and reliever Alex Vesia darted into left field from the bullpen. But those who gathered on the mound waved off Vesia and Snell proceeded to strike out Otto Kemp to end the threat.
Snell allowed just two hits and two walks, and he struck out a season-high 12 of the 25 batters he faced.
Except for a couple of pitches, Luzardo was very solid, just not Snell-like. He gave up four runs on six hits seven innings with one walk and six strikeouts.
“I thought he was really good,” said Thomson of Luzardo. “The Freeman home run was a 1-0 fastball and he just beat him to the spot. The other runs were scored on singles, two-out single, stolen base. I thought Luzardo was really good. Velo was good. His secondary pitches were outstanding. I thought he kept them off balance most of the night.”
With the Brewers’ win over the Angels, the Phillies fell to 2 ½ games behind for the No. 1 seed.
For Luzardo, he’s pretty happy with where is right now and looking forward to what the playoffs hold.
“I like going deep into the games, keeping us in ball games,” he said. “The last two starts the runs have been getting up there but I feel like I’ve been making some good pitches – tonight especially – with not having my best stuff. Definitely need to sharpen up some things before the post season.
“I’ve always said that whatever they need from me I would do, whether it’s the bullpen or starting job. I feel like it would be awesome to be a part of that and get a start in the postseason.”
That’s a given.
Things to note
J.T. Realmuto was back in the lineup after coming down with an illness on Tuesday. He batted fourth in the lineup and just missed hitting a home run to center in the seventh.
Nick Castellanos started in right field for the first time in the series, with Max Kepler in left and Harrison Bader in center. Manager Rob Thomson said he just wanted to give the hot-hitting Brandon Marsh a night off.
The Phillies are off Thursday before beginning a three-game series against the Diamondbacks in Phoenix on Friday.
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