Brandon Marsh of the Philadelphia Phillies is reflecting on a rare play that led to a 4-3 loss against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. The game ended with an inside-the-park home run by Patrick Bailey, marking the first such occurrence since 2016 and the first time the Phillies have lost in this manner since 1946.
“You could play 100 more years here and I don’t think a ball hits right there on that spot,” Marsh said, highlighting the unusual nature of the play.
The defeat has brought attention to concerns about the Phillies’ bullpen, which struggled during Tuesday’s game. Manager Rob Thomson had to manage without Orion Kerkering, leading to a challenging situation for pitcher Jordan Romano. Romano was tasked with securing five outs but allowed Bailey’s decisive hit.
“We got kind of caught back in a corner because we didn’t have [Orion] Kerkering,” Thomson explained.
Romano, who signed with the Phillies in December, has faced difficulties this season with a 7.44 ERA over 36 appearances. “I’m just not pitching well,” Romano admitted. “There’s no time to sulk.”
The Phillies are under pressure to strengthen their bullpen before the July 31 Trade Deadline as they aim for a World Series victory this year.
“It’s over, it doesn’t feel good, but we’ve just got to keep moving on and worry about tomorrow,” said Kyle Schwarber.
