Another night. Another lead. Another bullpen letdown. This time, it was Ian Happ doing the damage — twice. The Cubs outfielder homered in the fourth and again in the sixth, the latter a two-run shot that flipped the game and sent the Phillies to an 8-4 loss Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park.
For those of you scoring at home, that’s 10 losses in the last 12 games. And for the second straight night, the Phillies coughed up a late lead like it was some kind of nightly ritual.
There were bright spots, sure. Mick Abel, making just his third big-league start, didn’t dominate — not with solo homers to Dansby Swanson, Happ, and Michael Busch on his line — but he competed.
There were bright spots, sure. Mick Abel, making just his third big-league start, didn’t dominate — not with solo homers to Dansby Swanson, Happ, and Michael Busch on his line — but he competed.
The 23-year-old came into the night with a 0.79 ERA and 11 strikeouts over 11⅓ innings, and while the Cubs made him work, he never unraveled. He danced out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth by getting Kyle Tucker to check-swing at an 89th pitch for strike three. It was the kind of moment that had the crowd stirring. It should’ve been the turning point. But this Phillies team doesn’t do turning points right now.
Max Kepler gave the Phillies a jolt with a two-run homer in the second, and Alec Bohm drove in two more with a liner up the middle in the fifth, giving the Phillies a 4-3 lead and chasing Cubs starter Colin Rea. But just like the night before, the bullpen crumbled the moment it was asked to protect something.
Caleb Thielbar came in and tossed a clean sixth for the Cubs. Then Happ struck again. His second homer of the night — his 16th career multi-homer game, if you’re counting — came off Taijuan Walker. The Cubs tacked on three more in the eighth for good measure, because of course they did.
And if that wasn’t enough, Brandon Marsh, who walked it off in extras the night before, exited in the sixth with a sore left elbow. He took a tag to the arm in the second inning and never looked right after that. Just add it to the pile.
Max Kepler gave the Phillies a jolt with a two-run homer in the second, and Alec Bohm drove in two more with a liner up the middle in the fifth, giving the Phillies a 4-3 lead and chasing Cubs starter Colin Rea. But just like the night before, the bullpen crumbled the moment it was asked to protect something.
Caleb Thielbar came in and tossed a clean sixth for the Cubs. Then Happ struck again. His second homer of the night — his 16th career multi-homer game, if you’re counting — came off Taijuan Walker. The Cubs tacked on three more in the eighth for good measure, because of course they did.
And if that wasn’t enough, Brandon Marsh, who walked it off in extras the night before, exited in the sixth with a sore left elbow. He took a tag to the arm in the second inning and never looked right after that. Just add it to the pile.
The Phillies are hurting, stumbling, and searching for answers. The bullpen’s leaking oil, the offense disappears when it matters, and the reinforcements aren’t walking through the door. It’s only June, but it’s starting to feel a lot like late September.
The club will close out the series with the Cubs on Wednesday.
Nola Update
As for Aaron Nola? Still shelved. The club said this week he won’t pick up a ball for at least two more weeks as he deals with a stress reaction in his rib, on top of the sprained ankle that already had him on the shelf.
As for Aaron Nola? Still shelved. The club said this week he won’t pick up a ball for at least two more weeks as he deals with a stress reaction in his rib, on top of the sprained ankle that already had him on the shelf.
