Thursday, October 10, 2024

NLDS Game 4 - Epic Collapse Completed


Mets 4
Phillies 1
NLDS Game 4 - Wednesday Afternoon, October 9th in Flushing
Mets win series, 3-1

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies' epic collapse from first half juggernauts to second half and postseason pushovers was completed in this 4-1 loss to the Mets.

What It Means:  I have no idea, other than I'm going to complete this post and take a break from the Phillies for a little bit.  I doubt I'll watch much, if any, of the postseason.  I would think changes need to be made, but where do you start?  For two postseasons in a row, the Phillies mostly forgot how to hit.  The team batted .186 in the NLDS with 38 strikeouts.  And the strongest bullpen in baseball pitched to a 11.37 ERA.  What a mess.

What Happened:  Ranger Suarez was continually and constantly in trouble, yet he somehow worked through 4 1/3 innings without allowing a run.  He struck out eight while allowing five hits and four walks.  Jeff Hoffman recorded the final two outs of the fifth inning and came back out to start the sixth.  His sequence went like this:  single, wild pitch, hit by pitch, wild pitch, walk, force out at home.  Carlos Estevez got the call from a bullpen and promptly allowed a season-ending grand slam to Francisco Lindor.

The Phillies' offense was once again dead.  Bryce Harper laced a lead-off double in the sixth, but was left stranded after Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto struck out and Bryson Stott hit a weak grounder to first to end the inning.  Castellanos had a pair of hits and finished the NLDS with a .412 average, one of the few (only?) bright spots from the Phillies other than Harper and Zack Wheeler.  Everyone else not named Harper or Castellanos batted .140 (14 for 100).  Realmuto was 0 for 11, Brandon Marsh and Alec Bohm were both 1 for 13.

The long offseason begins today, and The Phillies Room will return after a brief therapeutic sabbatical.

No comments: