PHILADELPHIA— In the bottom of the ninth inning Friday night, the Philadelphia Phillies turned to Jhoan Duran to protect a 6-2 lead.
The club’s trade deadline splash and biggest weapon in the bullpen hadn’t pitched since August 10th. Manager Rob Thomson wanted to get him some action, since it can be hard for relievers to keep in rhythm after an extended layover in action.
Duran stepped in to face Washington Nationals’ third baseman Paul DeJong. DeJong connected with the ball and sent it right back up the middle, hitting Duran in the side of his cleat. The ball kicked away into foul territory, where the Phillies’ closer went to grab the ball. DeJong was safe but a noticeable limp stopped Duran in his tracks.
Duran exits, Phillies win
The Phillies medical staff quickly tended to their newest arm. It was clear that he wanted to remain in the game, but with the four run lead, the team made the correct decision to lift him for David Robertson, who entered in relief. The Nationals are one of the few teams left in professional baseball who still have a functional bullpen cart, which was used to deliver the right-hander back to the locker room.
Robertson allowed a hit, but did not allow any runs to cross in the ninth. The Phillies held on to the 6-2 lead, improving to 70-52 on the season. They have matched their pace from this time last season, a year that saw the team win 95 games and the NL East division crown. In Queens, the New York Mets blew a lead to Seattle Mariners. This gives the Phillies a 6.0 game lead in the East with just over six weeks to play.
After the game, X-Rays came back negative on Duran (Per Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer). He was able to walk under his own power and put pressure back on his foot. The Phillies will likely give Duran a few days to recover.
Time will tell, but the Phillies dodged a bullet on Friday night.
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
