Phils crushed by Pirates in series finale
The Phillies did not play a great game tonight, but the score does not represent how tonight’s game went. Phillies pitchers allowed the pirates to score seven runs on five home runs through eight innings of tonight’s game. However, the wheels fell off for the Phils’ bullpen in the top of the ninth, an inning in which the Pirates would score eight runs. When a team loses by 13 runs, many fans will just assume that this game was a blowout from the beginning, but that was not the case tonight. Despite six runs coming across while he was on the mound, Jerad Eickhoff did not pitch a terrible game for the Phillies. He managed to go six and two-thirds innings while only half of the runs that came across to score were earned. Of course, the Phillies’ (65-82) offense struggled to get anything and the Pirates’ (71-74) offense was on another level as they defeated the Phillies by a final of 15-2.
The Pirates used three solo home runs in the first five innings of tonight’s game to jump out to a 3-0 lead through the middle of the fifth inning. The Phillies actually made it a close game in the bottom of the fifth as they would score two runs to make it a one run ballgame after five. However, the Pirates would tack on 12 unanswered runs from the sixth inning on, with four more coming off home runs. Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen led the way tonight for the Pirates at the plate as he had himself a 3 for 5 night, with two home runs, three RBIs, and three runs scored.
Despite the six runs (three earned) that Eickhoff allowed in tonight’s game, he didn’t pitch horrible overall. He left some pitches out over the plate that the Pirates made him pay for, but other than that he seemed to be in control. However, he did suffer the loss in tonight’s game and now sits at 10-14 on the year with a 3.74 ERA. Phillies delivers Severino Gonzalez and Colton Murray got hit around in the ninth inning. The two relievers combined to allow eight runs on seven hits and two walks in the ninth inning that seemed to last as long as the first eight innings combined. Pirates starter Chad Kuhl picked up the win for his team tonight as he allowed just two runs on on four hits in six solid innings of work. After tonight’s win, Kuhl now sits at 4-3 on the year with a 3.97 ERA.
After splitting the four game series against their cross-state rivals, the Phillies will begin a three game series against the Miami Marlins starting tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park. Phillies starter Adam Morgan (2-10, 5.73 ERA) will take on Marlins starter Tom Koehler (9-11, 3.97 ERA) in the series opener tomorrow night. Despite what his record says, Morgan has pitched very solidly since coming back from Triple-A in the second half of the season and he will look to continue to improve upon that in his start against the Marlins tomorrow. The Phillies’ offense could really use a solid game tomorrow night to forget about the blowout they suffered in tonight’s game.
Photo via Zimbio.com
Tyler King covers the Phillies for PHLSportsNation.com. He can be contacted at tylerking2623@gmail.com or on Twitter (@t_king26).
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