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The Philadelphia Phillies wasted a stellar outing by Ranger Suarez as they went down 1-0 to the Cincinnati Reds in their series finale on Wednesday.
Philadelphia won their first two games against Cincinnati, but thanks to their toothless offense, the series-sweep remained beyond their reach.
The defeat delivered the Phillies their fourth shutout loss in seven outings ahead of their crucial four-game set against the New York Mets.
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"The Phillies have been shutout 4 of the last 7 games" - John Clark
Jose Barrero hit a game-ending RBI single off of Phillies right-hander Seranthony Domínguez in the ninth inning. Albert Almora Jr. helped set up Barrero's winning hit with a one-out walk.
Phillies LHP Ranger Suarez, who incidentally made his MLB debut against Cincinnati in July 2018, allowed only three hits today.
Suarez struck out eight and walked two, but his stellar performance was tossed down the shredder by the Phillies’ ineffective offense.
The Phillies have been feeling the absence of both Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper big time. Schwarber strained his right calf in last Thursday’s shutout loss to the Marlins. The Phillies’ last three shutout losses have come in his absence, which is no coincidence.
Schwarber will report to Citizens Bank Park tomorrow to undergo a final check before being granted clearance to face the Mets. So far, everything seems to suggest that he will be the Phillies’ DH on Friday.
Harper, on the other hand, has been out since June 25 with a broken thumb. He is expected to return sometime in September. Phillies fans are concerned and are hoping for the pair’s quick return to ease their offensive troubles.
The Philadelphia Phillies are currently in the thick of an intense race for a postseason berth. As things stand, they will qualify as the fifth seed for the NL Wild Card Series.
However, the manner of their recent defeats has caused some fans to question their expectations going forward.
With seven weeks of regular-season action remaining, the Phillies cannot afford to lose any ground.
Philadelphia Phillies brace for difficult New York Mets test
Following a six-game road trip with mixed results, the Philadelphia Phillies will be back in action on Friday. Awaiting them will be the NL East-leading New York Mets, who have appeared very vulnerable in their last two outings.
The Atlanta Braves took the Mets apart 13-1 and 5-0 in the first two games of their three-match set. Hence, one could be inclined towards believing that if there was ever a good time to face the Mets, it’s now.
The statistics, however, don’t provide much optimism for the Phillies. The two have crossed paths across five series so far this term, and the Mets have won all of them. As things stand, the Phillies are 4-11 against the Mets.
The Phillies have a point to prove, and a win against the Mets will go a long way in asserting their postseason ambitions.
