By: Matthew Mack

The Philadelphia Phillies and the Arizona Diamondbacks face each other at Citizens Bank Park in a four-game weekend series.

Before the game started on Thursday, the Phillies found out that first baseman Rhys Hoskins will be out for the rest of the season with a torn abdomen. As for the game, the Diamondbacks put up four runs to start the scoring in the second and fourth innings which included a Nick Ahmed home run. The Phillies did finally put runs on the board with a two run home run by Jean Segura. Then Arizona put up four more runs to extend their lead later in the game. What looked like a lost cause in the ninth, Philly put up a fight. Although they closed the deficit, it was not enough as Brad Miller struck out to end the game and lost this one eight-to-seven.

Friday night, the Phillies looked like they were getting out of the funk they have been in for weeks. They started the scoring campaign as Bryce Harper homered in the third. This game went back and forth as both teams exchanged blows. In the ninth, Phillies closer Ian Kennedy was called to save it for the Phils, and then he blew it. Christian Walker hit a two-run home-run that tied it for the D-backs, sending it to extra innings. In the tenth, Ketel Marte homered to put Arizona in front. It looked like all hope was lost until in the bottom half, Brad Miller responded for the Phils. He homered to tie the game. In the 11th, the Phillies finally held the D-backs scoreless and Segura chipped in his 7th career walk-off hit when he singled in the winning RBI.

Saturday night was all Philadelphia! The top of the lineup did the majority of the damage as they straight up shutout the Diamondbacks seven to- zero. The Phillies pitching staff led by Kyle Gibson held their own as the team struck out nine in the game.

Sunday afternoon, the Phillies picked up where they left off. They tacked on the first two runs in the first inning on an Andrew McCutchen RBI single and a Freddy Galvis sacrifice fly. Arizona’s Jake McCarthy did get a run back in the second. Later, the Phils did tack on three more in the fifth and all was well to that point. Ranger Suárez pitched five and a third innings with five strikeouts with five hits and two walks with one run allowed. The D-backs did try to comeback late in the game by closing the Phillies lead to one but Rafael Marchan and Travis Jankowski helped extend the lead and give them the win seven-to-four.

 

More injury news. Zach Eflin is back on the IL and his season looks to be over and on the COVID-19 list. Also on that list is Luke Williams and Andrew Knapp. All three are vaccinated. Also J.T. Realmuto is playing with a sore shoulder. The Phillies are looking to keep him in the lineup by putting him at 1st base.

 

As the Phillies go back on the road to face the Washington Nationals for the final time this season, they must take care of their own business. There is not much room for error with little over a month left in the season. As the Injuries now start to mount for the Phillies, the “next man up” mentality must be in their minds. Even though the Phils are now 4½ games out of first place in the division, they must take care of business and win the series.