For eight innings Tuesday night, this felt like one of those games that belonged in a time capsule.
Two frontline starters. Almost no margin for error. Every baserunner carrying the weight of the game.
Then the ninth inning happened.
And for the first time all season, Jhoan Duran looked human.
After Bryson Stott delivered what appeared to be the decisive hit in the top of the ninth, the Phillies watched a one-run lead disappear in a matter of minutes as the Toronto Blue Jays rallied for two runs in the bottom of the inning and handed Philadelphia a crushing 3-2 loss at Rogers Centre.
The defeat spoiled another brilliant outing from Zack Wheeler and wasted a night when the Phillies managed to scratch out just enough offense to position themselves for a victory.
For six innings, Wheeler and Toronto right-hander Dylan Cease traded punches in a duel worthy of the billing.
The Phillies struck first.
Trea Turner opened the game by dropping a bloop double just inside the right-field line. Two batters later, Brandon Marsh lined a two-out RBI double to left-center, giving Philadelphia a quick 1-0 lead.
That would be one of the few mistakes Cease made all night.
Making his first start since May 24, the hard-throwing right-hander carved through Philadelphia's lineup with overpowering stuff. The Phillies swung through 29 pitches — the highest single-game total generated by any pitcher in the majors this season and a career high for Cease. He allowed just three hits and one walk over six innings while striking out 11.
Wheeler matched him nearly pitch for pitch.
The Phillies' ace scattered six hits across six innings, walked nobody and struck out five. Toronto finally broke through in the sixth when Jesús Sánchez launched a solo homer to right field, ending Wheeler's shutout bid and knotting the game at 1-1.
The tie held as both bullpens took over.
For much of the night, every at-bat felt like it might decide the outcome.
It appeared Stott finally did.
Leading off the ninth, Bryce Harper worked a walk against Toronto closer Louis Varland. After Marsh struck out and Alec Bohm moved Harper into scoring position, Stott lined a two-out double that split the outfield and scored Harper easily for a 2-1 Phillies lead.
With Duran heading to the mound, it looked like enough.
It wasn't.
Jesús Sánchez started the ninth with an infield single. Yohendrick Piñango followed with another base hit, bringing the tying run to third with nobody out.
The inning unraveled quickly from there.
Pinch-runner Daulton Varsho stole second when a pitch crossed up J.T. Realmuto. Moments later, a wild pitch allowed Myles Straw to race home with the tying run.
One pitch after that, Brandon Valenzuela lined a single into left field, scoring Varsho and sending the Rogers Centre crowd home happy.
Just like that, Duran's perfect save record disappeared.
The All-Star closer entered the night having converted each of his first 16 save opportunities. He left with his first blown save and first loss in a Phillies uniform.
Lost in the late collapse was another reminder of how dominant Wheeler has become.
The veteran right-hander lowered his ERA again and delivered yet another outing that gave the Phillies every opportunity to win. But on a night when Cease was nearly unhittable and Toronto's bullpen matched Philadelphia's punch for punch, one shaky inning proved to be the difference.
The Phillies will try to salvage the finale of the series Wednesday night when Jesús Luzardo faces future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer, who is scheduled to make his first start since April 24.
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