8/17 Game Recap: Phillies lose to Reds 1-0

I guess you could just say that the Phillies were unlucky today going up against Reds Rookie Lefthander Nick Lodolo. The Southpaw went 7.0 scoreless innings allowing just 5 hits with 8 K’s, Lodolo has been the definition of average in his first Major League season. Boasting just a 4.72 ERA through 47.2 innings, with a 3-4 record before this afternoon’s matchup. But the Phillies struggled to get anything going on offense, even with Ranger Saurez matching Lodolo blow for blow. Speaking of Suarez; he went 7 scoreless as well allowing just 5 runners to reach base safely. It was a rough day for the Phils but that doesn’t mean we won’t talk about it, so let’s break it down…

Little did the Phillies know a first-inning double off the Right Field wall by Alec Bohm would be the closest to scoring a run all day. If the ball struck just a few feet higher it could have been a 1-0 Phillies ballgame from the get go. But it wasn’t meant to be as Nick Castellanos would go down on strikes to end the inning, and it would just be more of the same from then on out. Besides for Ranger Suarez and Nick Lodolo bearing down on their respective opposing team’s lineups, there wasn’t all too much action through the middle innings. Just because the Phillies didn’t score today doesn’t mean they didn’t have the opportunities to do so at multiple points, and let me emphasize the “multiple” there. The Phils left 7 runners aboard today and neglected to bring runners home while having men on 1st and 2nd, on multiple 1-out occasions. Getting hits with RISP has debatably been one of the biggest issues for the Phils this season. The Phillies have been statistically one of the worst teams with RISP this season, and that is something that needs to change if this group wants to continue their push for the playoffs. Because they will not be getting by much longer scoring 1-2-3-4 runs a game, a time will come when this offense will need to break out of this funk they’ve had this year and bring some guys home. Shifting our focus back to the game at hand, the Phillies elected to bring David Robertson and Seranthony Dominguez in the 8th and 9th inning respectively. While Robertson continued his streak of excellence, Seranothony showed us that he is in fact human, giving up two hits, a walk, and then allowing the game-ending walk-off single by Jose Barrero.

This was a hard loss to swallow for the Phils as they now head home for a four-game series with the New York Mets back at CBP. While the Phillies should now look ahead to their next opponent, they can’t forget what got them in trouble here in Cinncinatti and last weekend in New York. Luckily they have a much-needed off day tomorrow to attempt to prepare and hone their skills for this weekend’s pivotal division tilt. An off day tomorrow means we won’t have more Phillies Baseball until Friday when Aaron Nola will take the mound vs Chris Bassitt and the Metropolitans. But for now good morning, good afternoon, and goodnight, and of course Go Phils!