9/3 Game Recap: Phillies lose to the San Fransisco Giants 5-4

SAN FRANCISCO - At this point, I’m sure I’m, not the only one to notice a difference in the Phillies play over the past few games. They have looked uncharacteristically off their game, to say the least.

To start, the starting staff has been putrid, While the bullpen hasnt been much better. The offense, while they haven’t necessarily struggled to score runs, they’ve not been able to get anything doing with RISP and in the big spots when the team needs a crucial base hit. These are both things that Rob Thomson’s squad has done well all season long that assured them a playoff spot come October. Now, that spot may be in jeopardy if they can’t turn this around.

The Phillies sent Noah Syndergaard to the mound today in hopes he would flip the trend of struggling starting pitchers. Spoiler alert, he didn’t, through just 4.1 innings of work, Thor allowed 4 runs off 7 hits.

Besides Brad Hand, the Phillies bullpen pitched well through the last 4.2 innings, which was a welcomed sight considering the events of the last few games. Despite this, the bats were nowhere to be found after the 6th inning when Jean Segura doubled to deep center and it looked as though the Phillies would be able to pile on.

In the bottom of the 6th, Brad Hand would walk in JD Davis putting the Giants ahead 5-4. That would be all San Fran needed to take down the Phils today.

Over the past 2 series in Arizona and San Fransisco, the Phillies have walked home more runs than they have all seasons. This is obviously contributing to the lackluster pitching we’ve seen of late, that I’d mentioned at the start of the recap.

The last point I’d like to make is one that a lot of people may not be a fan of. Rob Thomson, has made a lot of questionable decisions as of late. For example bringing in Donny Sands instead of Garrett Stubbs who is batting .333 when pinch hitting this year. While Sands made his Major League debut yesterday and is 0-1 on his career. Thomson has also made multiple questionable bullpen decisions over the past few weeks, which I’ve touched on in some of my previous recaps. The backing for Topper has seemingly grown as his decisions have become more and more “Girardi esque” if you will. I’m not ready to jump ship on the skipper just yet, however, if this slide continues from the Phillies. I do not know if I will be able to get behind bringing Thomson back for another season.

I know it may feel like the sky is falling during times like these, but trust me this team will get out of it. I am not an optimist, but this squad has proved to us time and time again just how different they are from the Phillies teams of the past. It’s a marathon of 162, and we go day by day and game by game. Now we look ahead to the next one and try to find the best way to win. The Phillies next game; is tomorrow afternoon back at Oracle Park in San Fransisco at 4:05 (est). But for now, good morning, good afternoon, and goodnight, and of course Go Phils!