Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Phillies lose to the New York Yankees 6-5, getting swept at home for the first time in more than two years.
Bryce Harper had a chance to put all the demons of the worst hitting slump of his illustrious major league career behind him in the ninth inning on Wednesday.
Instead, his own personal bad dream has now become a full-blown nightmare.
Harper grounded into a game-ending double play, as the Phillies lost to the New York Yankees 6-5, getting swept at home for the first time in more than two years.
Harper is mired in a 1-for-30 slump over the last seven games. The Phillies are 1-6 in that span.
“It’s certainly frustrating for him,” said Phillies manager Rob Thomson, who watched his team lose four straight games for the first time this season. “You know he’s going to come through it because he’s such a great hitter.”
Harper has played more than 1,600 games in the majors, so he’s seen the ebbs and flows of the sport, both on a team and individual level, and he knows that this is likely just one of those stretches that crops up when you least expect it.
“It is what it is,” Harper said. “I got to battle through it as best I can. I’m excited to turn the page to August and I’m sure a couple other guys are too.”
Harper is right, as he isn’t the only Phillie scuffling, but his struggles are emblematic of the entire team’s issues of late.
They have had several opportunities to win games and have not executed. Whether it was blowing three-run leads (which have happened a few times lately, most recently Tuesday night), or not getting hits with runners in scoring position, which has been an issue the entire month of July.
The Phillies have now lost 11-of-15 and are 20-23 since coming back from the London Series in early June.
D.J. LeMahieu, who entered the game hitting a paltry .176 for the Yankees, drove in all six New York runs – a career high for the veteran. He hit a grand slam off Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez – just the fourth homer allowed by Sanchez all season – and added a two-run double in the sixth inning.
Sanchez (7-7) pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed all six runs on eight hits. He had seven strikeouts.
The Phillies did hold presumptive American League MVP Aaron Judge in check, striking him out in all four of his at bats.
For the second day in a row, the Phillies clawed their way back into a position to win the game but couldn’t produce a big hit in the right spot.
Brandon Marsh struck out with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth and Harper grounded into the double play in the ninth with the tying run on base.
New outfielder Austin Hayes just missed hitting go-ahead homers in both the seventh and ninth innings, but both balls were caught by Yankees leftfielder Alex Verdugo with his back against the outfield wall.
Nick Castellanos had two hits and drove in three runs for the Phillies, Alec Bohm had a double, a triple and an RBI and Weston Wilson hit a solo homer to try and lead a comeback that came up just short.
The Phillies did trot out both of their new relievers to keep the game close in the late innings. Lefty Tanner Banks made his Phillies debut with a 1-2-3 seventh inning and Carlos Estevez pitched a clean inning in the eighth.
Bryson Stott didn’t get the start because the Yankees started lefty Nestor Cortes (5-9), but Stott entered the game as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and ended up getting a pair of hits. He was one of the few Phillies who was productive during the forgetful homestand, going 8-for-18 (.444) in the six games.
The Phillies are off Thursday before beginning a 10-game road trip that begins Friday in Seattle and then goes to Los Angeles to play the Dodgers before finishing with four games against Arizona.
“We got to cowboy up and play the right way,” Harper said. “We’re a damn good team, but this is baseball, and this is kind of how it works.”
ON DECK
The Phillies will turn to Lumberton, N.J. native Tyler Phillips (3-0, 1.48 ERA) to try and stop the bleeding Friday in Seattle against Mariners righty Bryan Woo (4-1, 2,35).
