Despite The Brutal Loss Last Night To The Cubs, This Phillies Team Has Heart
I’m not embedding a video of the home run into my blog. Won’t do it, can’t do it. Joe Carter, Ryan Howard shattering his Achilles and now this home run by Jayson Heyward are moments I do not want to re-live in my Phillies fandom. Adam Morgan missed his spot and Jayson Heyward didn’t. End of story.
Most will probably hate my take on this, but I don’t care. Yesterday’s matchup between Morgan and future battery target Jayson Heyward was beautiful. It was the first time in a long time I can actually remember sitting on the edge of my seat watching a Phillies game. Biting my nails to the cuticle is so 2010, but here I was watching my lowly Phils play a semi-meaningful game, and almost take it down In the Cubs house no less!
As @sahadevsharma writes the odds of that Cubs-Phillies game ending the way it did were slim & none!
Heyward (0 XBH vs LHP) slam vs Morgan (0 XBH allowed to LHP)
Morrow (71 straight reg-season IP w/o HR) gives up Cozens' 1st HR
Cishek (RHs hitting .121) allows HR to Altherr
Nuts https://t.co/4Kssy27mH2— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) June 7, 2018
Call me a bitch for celebrating a loss. I could care less. Go ahead and argue with Gabe on his decision to fumble around with the closer position, go ahead. It’s a flawed argument. He wanted his most trusted reliever to get the 2 innings save, but SirAnthony didn’t have it in him last night. The pitch count was rising and after back to back games pitched, Gabe decided to play the matchup. Adam Morgan has been shut down vs. lefties this season, and after walking Happ to load the bases, he caused a ground out to Zobrist before facing Heyward with 2 outs. This matchup falls in the Phillies favor 9 times out of 10. It didn’t last night and those are the breaks.
If you watched closely last night, then you can tell this team has something. Gene Hackman would honestly be proud to watch this squad compete. Nola didn’t have his best stuff, the offense was dragging its feet per usual and the defense is next level bad. Yet, a game-tying home run by Aaron Altherr, who was hitting .167 in his last 28 days, got the momentum going. And then a two-run home run by Stoolie, Dylan Cozens put them ahead.
The NL East is unattainable, the Nats are just too fucking good. The Wild Card was always the goal. This team has the heart, but have a long way to go to prove they have the skill. Last night showed me something, I just hope they realize it too.
Winning the series is entirely possible today, but they have to get to Tyler Chatwood early. The Phillies are 8-4 in Nick Pivetta starts. Let’s make it 9.
Go Phils.