Phillies’ frustrations mount as Cubs deliver 8th loss in row
CHICAGO — The Philadelphia Phillies used an opener and altered up their batting order Wednesday, however neither transfer did the trick, as they dropped their eighth consecutive sport, losing 7-2 to the Chicago Cubs. The eight straight losses are the staff’s most since a nine-game skid in 2018.
“Just not going our way right now,” pitcher Taijuan Walker stated afterward. “We’re not executing. Just kind of in a rut. When you get in these ruts, it’s hard to get out of sometimes. And right now we’re just not getting out of it.”
Walker was the majority pitcher Wednesday after left-hander Kyle Backhus pitched the primary inning, giving up a run on two hits. Walker did not fare a lot better, giving up 5 runs, though solely 4 had been earned.
The Phillies had been main 2-1 in the second inning when a misplayed ball in heart by Justin Crawford and second baseman Edmundo Sosa allowed the Cubs to tie the rating. Philadelphia by no means recaptured the lead — or scored once more.
“[Crawford] called it too early and got Sosa out of there and really that’s Sosa’s ball,” supervisor Rob Thomson stated. “And I think that just comes with experience, playing in this ballpark with the wind and you got to really make sure that you get there.”
The play was emblematic of the Phillies’ latest woes, which had been outdone solely by the New York Metswho snapped their very own 12-game dropping skid Wednesday. Now it is Philadelphia that owns the longest present dropping streak in MLB.
“Yeah, it sucks,” shortstop Trea Turner he stated. “Not having much fun in here, which is tough. This is a great game. We’re lucky to play it. And when you are expected to win and you want to win and it’s not happening, it’s tough and not fun, but that’s why we’re here.”
The Phillies managed 9 hits however did not earn a stroll whereas placing out 12 instances in dropping their third sport of the collection. The meek offensive output resembled a number of different video games this season when opposed by a left-handed starter. Matthew Boyd was the most recent to close down the Phillies’ offense. He gave up two runs whereas three Cubs relievers pitched a shutout the remainder of the way in which. The Phillies are 0-9 this season when a lefty begins in opposition to them (excluding openers).
“They throw a lot of strikes,” Thomson stated. “Usually one of our strong suits is walking and putting balls in play and hitting home runs and chewing up pitches.”
Turner added: “I feel like we get one guy on base and then he kind of dies for whatever reason. And that’s just not good enough. So maybe it’s a little bit of approach.”
The Phillies (and Mets) are already 8½ video games out of first place in the National League East as the Atlanta Braves have gotten off to a quick begin. That’s not the case for final yr’s division winner, which is looking for early-season solutions.
The Phillies should not discovering something proper now.
“Baseball’s a long season and we got a long way to go,” Thomson stated. “And I think there’s a lot of frustration here. But at the same time, these guys know that we got a talented group. Not much is going right for us right now. And at times we’re not playing well. So we just got to stay after it and keep fighting. I mean, this is a talented group.”
