All good things must come to an end. The Phillies entered Sunday’s game with the longest winning streak the team has had in 11 years. The streak was in jeopardy almost immediately, as the D-Backs scored 2 runs on a JT Realmuto error with just one away in the first inning. Nonetheless, it’s important that the Phillies don’t lose momentum.
The game was doomed from the start. Starter Ranger Suarez gave up 3 unearned runs on over 30 pitches in the first. Credit the unearned runs on a mental mistake from Alec Bohm and a disastrous misplay from JT Realmuto. The D-Backs wouldn’t score again until the fifth inning on an RBI double from Christian Walker. From there, it just kept getting closer and closer to embarrassment. By the ninth, Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs was throwing 87 mph pitches to D-Backs hitters(which is pretty impressive, right?).
What’s Next?
The Phillies host Miami in a three-game series starting Monday night. They have to face two of the best pitchers in the national league this year in Sandy Alcantara and Pablo Lopez. Alcantara has been untouchable this year, posting a sub 1.75 ERA. Unfortunately for the fightin’s, they are going to get left in the dust by the Braves, who are sitting on an 11-game win streak. Not to mention the Mets, who are still a handful of games above the streaking Braves.
It’s extremely vital to the Phillies season that Sunday’s loss doesn’t affect the teams momentum. They have one of the easiest remaining schedules for the month of June, and if they are who we think they are, they should win a lot of those games.
