Phillies’ momentum hits a speed bump in 5-0 loss to Pirates

Before the Phillies opened their longest homestand of the season, Bryce Harper took batting practice against his dad, Kyle Schwarber hobbled around on a strained calf, Zack Wheeler led the starting rotation, and Seranthony Domínguez anchored the bullpen.

Ten days later, everything has changed.

Well, almost everything. The Phillies were firmly in possession of a playoff spot when the homestand began. And as they left town Sunday night, even after a sweep-wrecking 5-0 buzzkill against the Pittsburgh Pirates, their hold on a wild card — four games over Milwaukee — remains solid.

» READ MORE: Inside the NL playoff race: Big question and outlook for the Phillies and the rest of the field

Never mind, then, that the Phillies got four-hit by impressive rookie Roansy Contreras and three Pirates relievers before 30,355 paying customers at Citizens Bank Park. Or that Noah Syndergaard gave up nine hits in his rockiest outing yet since being acquired in a deadline trade.

Those things happen.

It’s what happens next — with Harper, Schwarber, and center fielder Brandon Marsh back off the injured list, but Wheeler (forearm) and Domínguez (triceps) on the shelf — that’s most important.

“Early in the week the boys played great, and then, take two out of three from Pittsburgh, it’s a great weekend for us,” Harper said after the Phillies’ six-game winning streak went bust. “We’re always looking forward to a sweep, but, at the same time, we’ll take this any day of the week and get ready for Arizona, not take them lightly.”

Not much chance of that. After the Phillies were swept July 22-24 by the noncontending Chicago Cubs, interim manager Rob Thomson relayed a reminder through a few veteran players about the importance of beating up on the National League weaklings. Failing to do so last season may have cost them a wild-card spot.

Since that series, the Phillies are 18-3 against teams with a losing record, including Sunday’s loss.

And there’s more where that came from. Beginning Monday night in Arizona, where the Diamondbacks reportedly are poised to promote top prospect Corbin Carroll, the Phillies will play 15 games in a row against losing teams. Entering play Sunday, the Diamondbacks, Giants, Marlins, and Nationals were a combined 218-289.

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“There’s been a couple times when I’ve talked to the club about not taking teams lightly and understanding that you’ve got to respect your opponent,” Thomson said. “It doesn’t matter who they are. You’ve got to go get ‘em.”

Losing to the Pirates wasn’t a letdown so much as a well-pitched game by Contreras. It happens. The Phillies had two chances for a big inning. Both times, No. 9-hitting reserve infielder Edmundo Sosa, who was in the lineup because Rhys Hoskins got his first breather since June 18, didn’t come through.

The Phillies mounted a two-out rally in the second inning, but Sosa struck out. In the fourth, they loaded the bases with two out, and Sosa hit a sharp liner right at Pirates center fielder Bryan Reynolds.

Otherwise, Contreras was solid. Throwing a mid-90s fastball and a nasty slider, he kept the Phillies from jumping out to the big first-inning leads that they rode to victories in the first two games of the series.

“Contreras made some pitches,” Schwarber said. “He was a little erratic early on and was able to settle in and find the command of his fastball and was using the slider down. He did a good job today. Tip your cap, and you’ve got to be able to move on.”

They’ve been good at that.

“I feel like our season’s kind of been that way,” Harper said. “Guys get hurt and other guys step up. Each guy comes in here, we’re all ready to play each day. Got to keep that same attitude now and then all the way through September.”

» READ MORE: ‘I never expected to throw 100′: Inside the reemergence of the Phillies’ Seranthony Domínguez

Syndergaard allowed three triples, and each time, it led to a run.

Oneil Cruz led off the game with a triple and scored on Ke’Bryan Hayes’ single; Tucupita Marcano tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning; in the fifth, Reynolds tripled and scored on a single by Michael Chavis.

It spelled Syndergaard’s worst start since coming over in a deadline trade with the Los Angeles Angels. In four previous starts, he allowed 10 runs in 25 innings for a 3.60 ERA, including back-to-back seven-inning victories over the Reds.

“Anything I made a mistake on, they were able to capitalize,” Syndergaard said. “Frustrating outing, but I think there’s a lot of good positives to take into my next start and to work on.”

Like most teams, the Pirates sought to capitalize on Syndergaard’s notoriously slow-to-the-plate delivery.

But they couldn’t outrun J.T. Realmuto’s arm.

Realmuto stifled two stolen-base attempts, cutting down Hayes and speedy Greg Allen at second base in the first and sixth innings, respectively. He has thrown out 22 of 57 runners, a 38.6% caught-stealing rate that is well above the league average of 24%.

» READ MORE: ‘They can taste it’: Playoff chances grow as Phillies pick up another comfortable win over the Pirates

Speeding up Syndergaard’s delivery has been a point of focus for the Phillies pitching coaches.

“I think it will only be beneficial,” Syndergaard said. “That’s always been my Achilles heel, being too methodical. J.T. makes it a whole lot easier, he’s the best catcher in baseball.”

Additionally, Realmuto made a nifty snag of a deflected third-strike foul tip to help Syndergaard strike out Reynolds.