3/29/2018-8/22/2018

Hell of a run, guys.

While I hold out some faint hope that this post is going to be thrown back in my face for all of eternity when the Phillies rip off 10 wins in a row come September, I gotta tell you, it feels like this team is completely and wholly screwed.

Thus, I declare them dead.

Three blown leads, a missed opportunity to extend a shaky 7-6 lead in the ninth, and an almost unfathomable blown save by Seranthony Dominguez have me thinking there’s just no way that these guys come back from this:

Call me a hater, overly dramatic, or whatever else, but this game tonight was a total disaster. A grave-maker. After letting slip away what felt like a must-win game, the Phillies now sit three games back of Atlanta after the Braves’ road sweep of the Pirates in which they allowed two runs in the series. And don’t look now, but the Nationals, a team that seemingly conceded its season on Tuesday afternoon, are now only 4.5 games behind the Phillies.

Zach Eflin was a mess. The defense was a mess. Seranthony Dominguez was a mess. Lately, most nights seem to bring a new impediment to the meaningful September baseball this city appeared finally ready to experience after a seven-year hiatus.

For more than four months the Phillies were able to overcome an inconsistent offense, a league-worst defense, and an often erratic bullpen performance, but it appears whatever force that was fueling this team now ceases to exist. Instead, they now have the look of a team that knows it’s cooked.