By: Matthew Mack

The Phillies go on the road to face the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium at the Chavez Ravine for a three-game series. Phillies looking to clinch the Division in the series.

Monday night, the Dodgers started Anthony Banda just to face the top of the lineup for the Phillies and that did not pan out the way manager Dave Roberts had in mind as Kyle Schwarber homered his 52nd home run of the season to make it 1-0. Then Banda was lifted for Emmet Sheehan who was scheduled to start originally for the Dodgers. While he was on the bump, the Phillies did not score at all as Mookie Betts got 2 RBIs from sacrifice flies and a Max Muncy home run. Sheehan pitched 5 ⅔ innings with 7 strikeouts and three walks with an earned run thanks to Bryson Stott’s RBI in the 7th inning. When Sheehan was lifted for a bullpen arm, the Phillies went to work as Weston Wilson hit a two-run home run to take the lead at 4-3. Betts responded with the home run to tie the game at 4. In the 8th, Bryce Harper hits his 27th shot over the fence to retake the lead 5-4. In the bottom of the 9th, the Phillies took their chance to bring in their closer Jhoan Duran to shut the door. Andy Pages had different plans as he sent the baseball over the left field fence to tie the game and give Duran a blown save, sending the game to extra innings. In the top of the 10th, J.T. Realmuto sent a fly ball to right, bringing in the ghost runner Harrison Bader to score for the Phils. The bottom side of the 10th, things contentious. The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out as Dave Robertson escaped out of the 10th to not only secure the win for the Phillies, but their second straight National League East Division title.

Tuesday night, Shohei Otani started on the hill for the Dodgers and immediately put the Phillies offense to sleep. He threw 5 innings of no hit baseball. In the process, Alex Call and Enrique Hernández both homered. Hernández also added a sacrifice fly RBI to give the Dodgers a 4-0 lead. Now hear me this, when you have a pitcher going 5 innings if no hit ball, YOU DO NOT PULL HIM!!! Dodgers manager Dave Roberts did that and paid for it dearly. The Phillies bats shook out of their slumber and posted a crooked number in the sixth with six runs thanks to Harper 2-run RBI double and home runs by Brandon Marsh of the the three-run variety and a solo by Max Kepler. Shohei of course had to exert his power prowess in this game late as he slammed a no-doubter the moment you heard it off the bat with his 50th home run of the season. Clinching back to back 50 home run seasons. Call added a run as he sacrificed himself with a fly ball to score Teoscar Hernandez, tying the game. In the ninth, backup catcher Rafael Marchán, whose batting average is below the Mendoza line, hit a three run home run to take the lead and run away with the win 9-6

Game three of the series was all Dodgers. Freddie Freeman and Ohtani both slammed homers in the game. Jesús Luzardo pitched seven innings in the losing effort giving up four runs on six hits and one walk, along with six strikeouts. Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell put the work in as he struck out 12 batters in seven innings on two hits and two walks as the Dodgers win and avoid going swept in the series 5-0.

The road trip continues to the desert to play the Arizona Diamondbacks. Arizona are 2 games behind the Mets for the final wild card spot and playing in Chase Field for the Phils haven’t been pleasant lately. They too are vying for postseason positioning. The series, I think will be tight as the Phillies cannot lose sight of the goal to try to get ahead of the Brewers for the best team in baseball, who is 2 ½ games apart. Also to secure the first round bye. The magic number for clinching first round bye is 4.

Pitching Probables

Friday night:  Taijuan Walker (5-8, 4.17) v. Ryne Nelson (7-3, 3.34)

Saturday night: Aaron Nola (4-9, 6.44) v. Zac Gallen (12-14, 4.73)

Sunday afternoon: Ranger Suarez (12-6, 2.84) v. Eduardo Rodriguez (8-8, 5.12)