Rob Thomson explained after the game why he didn’t pitch hit one of his big guns for Cal Stevenson in the 9th with a chance to tie the ballgame:

That was some loser shit the way Topper handled the 9th inning. Moves that make you want to pull your hair out and make the criticisms of his lineup and bullpen decisions in the playoffs valid. Would J.T. or Bryce really be set back if they had an at-bat in the 9th? Say the Phillies tie it. Are a couple of innings in the field going to catch up to Bryce in the playoffs? We’re talking about world class athletes here. Two of the toughest dudes in MLB, not fine china. With an off day on Monday. I still cant believe this was his answer. Instead of letting his best player hit after an Edmundo Sosa single he had a guy bordering the Mendoza line take a hack. He could’ve even batted Weston Wilson or Johan Rojas and I don’t think the outrage would’ve been this loud. It’s like John Middleton told him the plane was gassed up and ready to go to Atlanta and for every minute they spend in extras it’s coming out of his pocket. Did Topper see rain in the forecast and get a new paint job that he didn’t want becoming a Rudy Giuliani episode?

You had a chance to sweep the Nationals and head into Atlanta with even more confidence coming off a terrible late July/early August stretch. Bury them and let them know they’re not going to come into CBP this year and ruin their season like the Phils have done to them the last two years. They haven’t exactly given fans a lot of confidence they can beat the Braves if they meet in the fall. Instead they just waved the white flag and we’ll see if the baseball gods punish them for outright giving up.