‘That cannot happen’ — After 2 blowouts, Wednesday even worse for Phillies

LOS ANGELES — Well, Bryce Harper returned. That was about the only thing that went right for the Phillies this week at Dodger Stadium.

After being outscored 26-5 in consecutive losses to start the series, the Phillies blew a five-run lead Wednesday and lost 10-6 on Max Muncy’s walk-off grand slam against Craig Kimbrel.

“We took it on the chin here the last three games,” manager Rob Thomson said.

The defense was porous. Aaron Nola couldn’t protect a five-run lead for the second time in five weeks. The offense couldn’t tack on after scoring four runs in the third inning.

“On a team level, that just can’t happen,” Harper said. “That cannot happen with what we want to do this year and every year. That’s a really good team over there, but 5-0 game, our guy on the mound, we’ve got to do better. We’ve got to be better.”

There were many reasons the Phillies lost this game.

Defensive concerns

Edmundo Sosa missed a catchable ball at third base that allowed the tying and go-ahead runs to score with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning. It was a line shot off the bat of Austin Barnes just to Sosa’s left. He didn’t have to move to catch it but the ball simply eluded his glove, racing into left field for a two-run single.

“I should have caught that ball, it’s a play that needs to be made,” Sosa said. “Honestly, it wasn’t even a difficult play, I just missed it. I put the glove where I thought the ball was going to be and when I checked my glove, the ball wasn’t in there. I take full responsibility for that.”

With runners on the corners just seconds earlier, the Phillies conceded second base and allowed Miguel Vargas to steal uncontested. If he doesn’t steal, he doesn’t score on the Barnes ball.

“Anything can happen there,” Thomson reasoned. “They can double steal, the ball can get away, the catcher can try to be too quick. And (Jose) Alvarado against Barnes, I’ll take Alvarado every day of the week.”

Alvarado had Sosa’s back after the game.

“He actually came up to me in the dugout and clubhouse with a very positive message, that things happen,” Sosa said. “Ultimately, what he wanted was to lift my spirits. He said it’s baseball, it’s not the first time and won’t be the last time.”

• Nick Castellanos played a single into a triple to begin the seventh inning, which ended Nola’s afternoon. Chris Taylor hit a bloop to right field that stayed in the air forever and Castellanos couldn’t track it down, then missed it as it rolled to his right. Taylor scored two batters later on a Freddie Freeman sacrifice fly.

• Kyle Schwarber missed a few balls in the series that a fleet-footed left fielder may have caught up to. He also threw a ball to third base when it probably should have gone to second, turning a single into a double. He did not have a good series defensively and this has to be a concern for the Phillies, whose DH spot is filled by Harper. Schwarber was the DH in 20 of his first 28 starts this season.

Nola couldn’t hold the lead

Nola continues to pitch with diminished velocity. He was at 89-91 mph in the first inning. He is averaging one mph less with his four-seam and two-seam fastballs than he did a season ago. In 2022, he threw 187 fastballs at least 94 mph. This season, he has just three. Nola is not a power fastball pitcher overly reliant on his heater, but 91 is a lot different than 93-95.

The Phillies staked him to a five-run lead with a big third inning that included six hits, but just like on opening day in Texas, that five-run lead turned into a four-run loss.

“I’m confident the velo is going to come,” Thomson said. “But if it doesn’t, he’s fully equipped to pitch with less velocity just because he can pitch and command the baseball.

“We’re going through a little bit of a tough time. We’ve got to clean it up, free passes, no extra bases, got to play defense behind your guys. It’s the total package.”

Harper’s assessment

Harper had a huge game, reaching base all five times with two singles, a double and two walks. He hit an opposite-field single with two outs in the ninth inning to key the Phillies’ game-tying rally. Castellanos followed by working a tremendous walk against Brusdar Graterol, whose fastball was 99-100 mph. Graterol got ahead 1-2 and tried to retire Castellanos with his slider. 

A year ago, Castellanos chases one of them to end the game. But he’s been a different hitter this season and his patience paid off. The next batter, Bryson Stott, hit a game-tying RBI single to left field.

As it turned out, the rally just delayed another tough loss. Kimbrel allowed a leadoff single to Taylor, who immediately stole second. He struck out Mookie Betts looking, intentionally walked Freeman, walked Will Smith and then gave up the walk-off granny to Muncy on the first pitch.

“Just everything, as a team, as a whole — catch the ball, throw the ball, hit the ball, make the plays,” Harper said. “When you play the game the right way, play it sound, you win a lot of games. 

“There were some mistakes made today and mistakes made over the last couple weeks that we just need to clean up, myself included. Just as a whole. But I think we’ll be better.”

The Phillies are off Thursday before opening a five-game homestand with three against the Red Sox and two against the Blue Jays. 

“You’ve got to dust yourself off and get back at it again after the off day,” Thomson said. “Guys get some rest, come back Friday against Boston and get on it again. It was tough. It’s a good ballclub but we had them today and gave it away.”