They had an 11-4 lead. They needed three outs. And somehow, it turned into a fire drill.
Jordan Romano threw a fastball that touched 99.8 mph on the radar gun — the hardest he’s thrown all season.
Romano said his arm felt fine.
You could argue the Marlins felt even better.
Because then came the ninth. And then came Dane Myers. And Graham Pauley. And Liam Hicks — who entered the day with as many big-league homers as your mailman and left it with one very loud souvenir.
What was once an eight-run Sunday stroll turned into a one-run nailbiter. The Phillies needed Jose Alvarado — not on Rob Thomson’s bingo card — to record the final out of what somehow became an 11-10 win.
Romano? He faced eight hitters. Retired two. Gave up six runs. Got serenaded with boos as he exited stage left with a 15.26 ERA in his first nine appearances as a Phillie. That’s not a typo. That’s not even a math error. That’s his ERA.
“We’ll take a deeper dive,” Thomson said, when asked if Romano might be tipping pitches. Which, frankly, would be the best-case scenario. Because otherwise, there’s no tip — just hittable pitches in neon lights.
All this came after a game that felt over early. Trea Turner had his fourth four-hit game in a Phillies uniform. Johan Rojas and Bryson Stott each had three hits. The bats were booming.
But the save? The save went to Alvarado — his fifth of the year — after a save situation dropped from the sky like an ACME anvil in a Looney Tune.
Sunday, the Phillies go for the sweep. With a bullpen that, once again, may need a reset button.
Because then came the ninth. And then came Dane Myers. And Graham Pauley. And Liam Hicks — who entered the day with as many big-league homers as your mailman and left it with one very loud souvenir.
What was once an eight-run Sunday stroll turned into a one-run nailbiter. The Phillies needed Jose Alvarado — not on Rob Thomson’s bingo card — to record the final out of what somehow became an 11-10 win.
Romano? He faced eight hitters. Retired two. Gave up six runs. Got serenaded with boos as he exited stage left with a 15.26 ERA in his first nine appearances as a Phillie. That’s not a typo. That’s not even a math error. That’s his ERA.
“We’ll take a deeper dive,” Thomson said, when asked if Romano might be tipping pitches. Which, frankly, would be the best-case scenario. Because otherwise, there’s no tip — just hittable pitches in neon lights.
All this came after a game that felt over early. Trea Turner had his fourth four-hit game in a Phillies uniform. Johan Rojas and Bryson Stott each had three hits. The bats were booming.
But the save? The save went to Alvarado — his fifth of the year — after a save situation dropped from the sky like an ACME anvil in a Looney Tune.
Sunday, the Phillies go for the sweep. With a bullpen that, once again, may need a reset button.
