The Philadelphia Phillies have reached their last 27 outs. After a 7-2 loss Tuesday night at Citi Field in Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the New York Mets, the Phillies know what’s at stake: win or go home.
“As a group, this is the closest to death we’ll ever experience, so in some ways we should feel the most alive,” Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos said. “We’re only promised tomorrow and this is what we’ve been working for since spring training – to get this opportunity. And it’s just one more time to show and leave it all on the field and no matter how the dice roll landing is going to land.”
After the loss, a game in which the Phillies’ bats once again didn’t match up with the Mets, manager Rob Thomson spoke to the team. He said he told the club they are the most resilient group he has ever been around and they need to focus on Game 4 to bring the series back to Philadelphia.
With their backs against the wall, Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber said there weren’t many changes in terms of the team’s approach in Game 4.
“There’s no sharpening, there’s nothing,” Schwarber said. “Our job is to do one thing: win a baseball game tomorrow. Our goal is to find a way to get it back to Philadelphia. That’s our mentality. That’s what it is.”
But the team’s resilience has only been on display so far in Game 2 of the NLDS. On Wednesday evening they get another crack.
“We lose, we go home, baseball is over for us,” Castellanos said. “It’s a great opportunity because if we can get a win here, I know they won’t want to go back to Philly for a Game 5.”
The 6th inning sank the Phillies chances in Game 3
The Phillies had a chance to put some runs on the board in the top of the sixth inning, but came up short against Mets lefty Sean Manaea.
Seth Wenig/AP
Manaea threw seven innings, allowing only three hits and one run and striking out six batters.
With the score at 2-0, Manaea walked Schwarber and Phillies shortstop Trea Turner to open the inning. But Bryce Harper and Castellanos were unable to perform for the Phillies as they did in Game 2 of the NLDS.
Harper struck out against Manaea and saw just three pitches, including whiffing on a ball outside the zone.
Thomson said Harper may have been trying to do too much and “put the club on his shoulders” during his sixth-inning at-bat. But the Phillies first baseman shrugged it off as being overly aggressive.
“He just made some good throws,” Harper said.
After Harper’s strikeout, Castellanos immediately lined a 95.7 mph line for an inning-ending double play after the Mets had struck out Schwarber at second.
“I thought this might be an opportunity to get back into it,” Thomson said.
All eyes on Ranger Suarez
The Phillies’ bats will have to show up in Game 4 before the team can force a Game 5, but so will lefty Ranger Suarezwho will get the start for Philadelphia on Wednesday against Mets lefty Jose Quintana.
Suarez has been excellent for the Phillies in the postseason the past two years, but he had a rough second half of the season after returning from injury.
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In the seven starts Suarez made after returning from the injured list, he had a 5.74 ERA and allowed five home runs.
Thomson said everyone other than Nola will be available on Wednesday night, but the team has confidence in Suarez.
“All the confidence in the world [Ranger]Harper said. “Obviously we’ve got to win, so we expect the best from him tomorrow and we expect the best from our bullpen and we expect the best from our offense as well, so we’ve got to go out there.” …go run around there and let Ranger do his work.”
