Phillies suffer listless loss to Dodgers after rain delay

It did not take long Wednesday night for the energy felt a night earlier to be drained from the ballpark. Nick Pivetta walked three-straight batters in the first inning of a listless 7-2 loss, a heavy storm was moving towards Citizens Bank Park, and the Dodgers would soon have a lead in a game that would end early Thursday morning.

The grounds crew covered the infield with a tarp for 2 hours, 37 minutes and it was easy to see that it would be a challenge to carry any momentum from Tuesday night’s stunning win.

The Phillies mustered just two hits on Wednesday night as they lost for the 20th time in 32 games. Their pitchers issued 10 walks and hit two batters. It was just the second time since 1938 that the Phillies walked at least 10 batters and hit at least two in a nine-inning game.

“It’s always disappointing to lose, but it was a tough night and a long night,” Scott Kingery said.

The offense somehow scratched out two runs in the sixth to tie the game, but the Dodgers would have their way against the bottom of the Phillies’ bullpen. The rain-delay forced the Phillies to use five relievers and their shorthanded bullpen could only do so much.

They are now tied with three other teams — Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Arizona — for the National League’s second wild-card. Yes, Tuesday’s win was exciting. But it felt hollow a day later. The Phillies will need to rally Thursday afternoon behind Aaron Nola, less than 11 hours after the final out of Wednesday’s loss, in order to salvage a series-split.

“It’s going to be a quick one,” Kingery said. “Go home, try to get some sleep, and pack for the road trip and try to get here and get things rolling tomorrow.”

They have won just two of their last 10 series. It is not quite a recipe for postseason baseball. The Phillies, if they are to reach the playoffs, will have to find a way to have nights like Tuesday and keep them going into nights like Wednesday. The Phillies have nine games left before the trade deadline and how they perform over the next week will determine how active the front-office will be.

“I don’t think we even have time to be disappointed” Gabe Kapler said. “We have to get back here pretty early in the morning and play the Dodgers with Nola on the mound and a rested bullpen in terms of our guys that we’re leaning on leverage innings. We feel good about tomorrow and we’re anxious to get back to the ballpark and wipe off tonight.”

The rain forced Pivetta to leave after just 2⅓ innings after it delayed him during the third inning. The pitcher did not allow a hit, but he walked four batters and allowed a run. J.D. Hammer and Jose Alvarez kept the Dodgers scoreless until the sixth when Edgar Garcia walked two batters before allowing opposing pitcher Julio Urias to slap an RBI single up the middle. Garcia, a rookie righthander, has struggled this season after showing promise in the minors.

The Phillies did not have a hit until the sixth inning when they scored two runs to tie the game in an unconventional way. Cesar Hernandez reached on an error, Scott Kinger dropped a bloop single, Rhys Hoskins was intentionally walked, Brad Miller drew a bases-loaded walk, and Adam Haseley brought a run in with a ground out. The Phillies did not do much, but they tied the game.

But it was not tied for long. Juan Nicasio, in his second outing since returning from the disabled list, served up a two-run homer in the top of the seventh to David Freese. An inning later, Justin Turner rocked a two-run homer off Austin Davis.

The Phillies bullpen was so drained over the previous three days that their best course of action against the National League’s premier team were a troubled rookie, a struggling veteran back from the injured list, and a lefthander who has been optioned 12 times between the majors and minors. The Phillies did not have their best hand. And it was easy to see the energy leaving the ballpark.