When a manager goes with a bullpen game, things turn into a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get. A day after clinching the National League East, the Phillies got chocolate from 3 Halloweens ago.
Phillies go down to the Cubs after NL East victory
Tanner Banks was tasked with starting the game for the Phillies. His first inning was solid, allowing just a double to Seiya Suzuki. The 2nd inning was decidedly less pleasant. After getting a strikeout to start the inning, he loaded the bases on a hit-by-pitch and 2 singles.
That would be it for Banks as Rob Thomson went to struggling starter Taijuan Walker. That’s exactly what he did: struggle. The first 2 hitters he faced worked full counts and walked. After 2 more singles, the Cubs had put 6 runs on the board.
In the top of the 1st, Bryce Harper hit his 30th home run of the season. It’s the 3rd time he’s reached that mark as a Phillie and 5 times overall in his career.
In the 2nd, Nick Castellanos got a leadoff double. He advanced to 3rd on an Austin Hays flyout. With 2 outs, Garrett Stubbs dove to the backside of 1st base to drive in Castellanos, making it a 6-2 game.
Walker was done after allowing a walk and a double in the 4th inning. Kolby Allard entered in relief and stranded both runners. He got to strikeouts and a pop-up.
After a clean 5th, Allard gave up 4 runs in the 6th inning. The big blow came on a Cody Bellinger triple that just bounced fair over 1st base, scoring 3. An Isaac Paredes groundout brought Bellinger home, pushing the score to 10-2.
The scoring was halted until Kyle Schwarber hit a 2-run homer for his 38th of the season in the 8th inning. That’s where the scoring stopped, as the Cubs won 10-4.
The Phillies are back in action tonight in hopes of generating some late momentum before the postseason begins.
Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
