8/23 Game Recap: Phillies beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-6

Never a doubt, Right? Sure we can go with that. But what a night down in South Philadelphia it was I can’t remember a game where I lost and regained hope so many times throughout a 3 inning period. The late game heroics came as a pretty big surprise considering how much of a snooze fest the early innings were. Many will forget that Nick Lodolo was carrying a no-no bid into the 6th inning. But never the less the Phillies found a way to emerge victorious yet again, as they always seem to do.

Tonight’s affair started off relatively slow, with more attention being paid to the Phillies broadcast crew out in Left Field than the actual game. But things began to get interesting when Ranger Saurez would fall apart in the top of the 6th inning. Suarez would seemingly lose all control, surrendering an RBI single from Mike Moustakas then walking two runs home. When the Phillies would finally lift Suarez, they would bring in rookie southpaw Michael Plassmeyer who made his major league debut with the bases loaded and 2 away. Plassmeyer would strike out Austin Romine then set the Reds down 1-2-3 in the 7th all with just 9 pitches. Just as it seemed like the Phillies were going to blow yet another game to Nick Lodolo, the bats came alive. Alec Bohm would get the fun started with an RBI single to score Edmundo Sosa. Next, JT Realmuto would crush a triple to center bringing home two more runs. Finally, a red-hot Nick Castellanos would extend his hitting streak to 13 games with a base knock to give the Phillies a lead bringing Realmuto home. Matt Vierling would give the Phils some insurance in the 7th sending an absolute bomb to center making it a 5-3 ballgame. It looked like clear sailing from then on for the Phils, but it never is… it just never is. This is the second straight night where Rob Thomson would make a head-scratching bullpen decision (in my humble opinion at least) after Michael Plassmeyer would go 1.1 innings setting down all four batters he faced on just 9 pitches, he would be lifted for Jose Alverado. Alverado would take the liberty of making this one interesting again allowing an Aristides Aquino double to center that would score Alejo Lopez. Though after a mound visit from Caleb Cotham, Alverado would strike out the next three consecutive batters. Rob Thomson would elect to bring in Brad Hand for the 9th inning, which in Thomson’s defense was most likely the best decision to make in this spot. But regardless Hand would allow a TJ Freidl triple to deep center that would bring home two runs giving the Reds a 6-5 lead while simultaneously sending the morale of Phillies fans everywhere down the toilet. But heading into the bottom of the 9th you could feel that this team wouldn’t go down easy, in a game that was eerily similar to Sunday’s heartbreaking loss to the Mets, this Phillies squad wouldn’t allow themselves to drop another game that was seemingly just out of reach. A leadoff walk from Jean Segura kicked it all off setting the tone for a Bryson Stott triple that would give the Fightins’ the lead. Finally, Nick Maton would end it all, walking it off for the Fightin Phils with a single into the Right Field gap.

This is the kind of fight you love to see from this Phillies team, you can see that they understand just how important these games are. You saw tonight what makes this squad different from the Phillies teams of years past. Games like this are the reason that this Phillies squad will make the playoffs. There is obviously still a lot of work to do, but if they keep this play up the Phillies will surely find themselves in the midst of a “Red October” soon enough. The grind continues tomorrow night back at CBP as the Phillies will trot out Chris Sanchez to take on Reds Righty Tyler Zeuch at 7:05. For now good morning, good afternoon, and good night, and of course Go Phils!