Phillies fall to Astros in playoff tune-up, but Nick Maton has a laugh at his brother’s expense

HOUSTON — The Phillies barely had anything to play for on Tuesday, and after it became official that they would face the Cardinals on Friday in an NL wild-card series, they had even less to play for in Game 162 on Wednesday. The Astros clinched their playoff spot on Sept. 16. The impossibly low stakes allowed for a bit of levity, which came in the top of the eighth inning of a 3-2 Houston victory.

With one out, infielder Nick Maton stepped up to the plate. His older brother, Astros reliever Phil Maton, was on the mound. It was the first time the two had faced each other not just in their big league careers, but in their entire careers. Needless to say, Nick didn’t need to read a scouting report on Phil beforehand.

With a slight grin on his face, the younger Maton took five pitches, launching the sixth, a four-seam fastball right down the middle of the plate, into right field for a single. When he reached first base, he started laughing at his brother, who begrudgingly cracked a smile.

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The Phillies were lined up along the top step up the dugout, pumping their fists in celebration. Maton — who goes by the nickname “Wolfie” — is one of the more animated personalities in the clubhouse. There was no chance he was going to silently stand on first base.

“He had two runners on and nobody out, so I was like, ‘He’s got to lock in,’” Nick said. “But he gave me a little look out of the corner of his eye. So that was cool.”

Aside from the in-game entertainment in the eighth inning, Wednesday primarily was a tune-up day, a chance to keep some of the Phillies’ relievers sharp (without over-extending them). Starter Bailey Falter pitched only one inning — which was the plan entering the game — allowing two hits and no runs or walks. Michael Plassmeyer, who was called up Wednesday morning after Chris Devenski was optioned to triple-A Lehigh Valley, came in after him and threw six innings, allowing three runs, one walk, and nine hits with six strikeouts.

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Nick Nelson also pitched an inning, the eighth. Nelson allowed one hit, one walk, and no runs with a strikeout.

“It’s a little bit difficult because you’re trying to get through it without extending your bullpen too much, so you know you have rested guys going into Friday,” interim manager Rob Thomson said. “So, in that way, it was a little more hectic or nervous than a normal game. But it worked out.

“Plassmeyer was unbelievable. His change-up was tremendous. He did a heck of a job to save our bullpen.”

The Phillies’ bats largely were quiet against Astros starter Framber Valdez, who entered the game with a 2.82 ERA. After getting just two hits — and striking out 10 times — off Valdez, the offense started to heat up against none other than the older Maton brother, who allowed two runs and two hits during the eighth inning. But the Phillies weren’t able to do any damage off Rafael Montero or Ryan Pressly, who came in after Maton.

The next game the Phillies will play will be Game 1 of the wild-card series Friday in St. Louis. They finished the regular season at 87-75.