Game 53 - Covey Crushed in Loss to Braves

2007 Topps Update #UH21

Braves 11, Phillies 4
Game 53 - Sunday Night, May 28th in Atlanta
Record - 25-28, 4th Place, 7 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Seven first inning runs doomed the Phillies in this Sunday night, 11-4 loss to the Braves

What It Means:  After splitting the series against the Braves, and standing pat in the standings, the Phillies have an off-day on Memorial Day.  They'll open a three-game series against the Mets on Tuesday night.

What Happened:  Dylan Covey didn't survive the first inning, and he was charged with all seven runs, although two were unearned due to errors (on the same play) by Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber.  Three of the seven runs came on home runs from Matt Olson and Austin Riley within the first minutes of the game.  Olson would add another two-run home run in the fifth inning.  The Phillies received home runs from Brandon Marsh and Kyle Schwarber, but it wasn't nearly enough to overcome the early deficit.  Schwarber would have had two home runs in this game, but he was robbed of one by Michael Harris II who leaped over the center field fence to bring the home run ball back for an impressive F8.

Featured Card:  Covey is unlikely to appear on any actual Phillies mainstream baseball cards.  Covey became the fourth Phillies pitcher to give up at least seven runs on 30 or fewer pitches, joining J.D. Durbin, Mark Leiter and Don Carman.  (H/T @paul_boye).  Durbin appeared in 18 games for the Phillies in 2007, making 10 starts.  On September 1st that season, he'd allow seven runs against the Marlins without retiring a batter.  Clay Condrey settled things down with three scoreless innings of relief, but the Phillies would still lose that game, 12-6.

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

2007 Chachi #40 J.D. Durbin

Dodgers 15, Phillies 9
Game 112 - Tuesday Night, August 10th in Philadelphia

With the Dodgers mounting a 7-0 lead after 3½ innings tonight, I did what any self-respecting Phillies' fan would do - I changed the channel.  I guess they were due for an old-fashioned whoppin' after looking almost unstoppable over the past week and a half.  Serves me right for thinking they'd easily sweep the Dodgers to overtake the Braves in the NL East this week.

It got ugly fast as Kyle Kendrick couldn't make it past the 4th inning.  He gave up 6 runs (5 earned) on 8 hits and 2 walks in his shortened outing.  The bullpen couldn't stop the bleeding as only Jose Contreras and Chad Durbin escaped unscathed out of the 6 relievers used.

Completely wasted in the rout was Ross Gload's 3 for 5 night, which included 2 home runs and 4 RBIs.  And Domonic Brown slugged his first Major League home run (in the 6th off Ronald Belisario) on his way to a 4-RBI night.  Raul Ibañez tacked on a single in the 9th to extend his career-high 17-game hitting streak.  One silver lining - even down by a large margin early, the Phils never quit battling, scoring 9 runs on 14 hits.

No Relation to Chad:  The last time the Phillies' pitching staff gave up 15 runs was back on August 22, 2007, also against the Dodgers.  Starter J.D. Durbin surrendered the first 5 runs that night.  Jose Mesa recorded only 1 out on his way to giving up 5 runs in the 7th, and Clay Condrey allowed 5 more runs just for good measure.