Phils let 7-run lead slip away in Game 2 loss

It is clear that the Phillies need help to fulfill their lofty expectations in 2020.

But will they get any?

The Blue Jays swept the Phillies in Thursday’s seven-inning doubleheader at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, N.Y., following a 3-2 walk-off victory in Game 1 and a 9-8 comeback victory in Game 2. The Phillies’ bullpen blew a one-run lead in the sixth inning in Game 1, losing their most effective reliever because of an injury. They had a 7-0 lead in the first inning and then blew a 7-2 lead in the sixth inning in Game 2. It is the first time the Phillies lost a game after scoring seven runs in the first inning since May 5, 1970, according to Baseball Reference.

• Box score

“It's frustrating,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said. “Really frustrating. We had a chance to win two games. We lost leads in both games late. And those are frustrating. But you have to turn the page. You have to get ready to go play tomorrow. You have to put this behind you.”

The sweep dropped the Phillies to 9-12.

The bullpen’s ERA rose to 8.07. The 2005 Rockies (8.74 ERA) and 2000 Blue Jays (8.24) are the only two bullpens since 2000 to have an 8.00 ERA or higher through 21 games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

No Phillies bullpen has had a higher ERA through 21 games since 1938 (10.26 ERA).

The Phillies need to find more reliable arms in the bullpen before the Aug. 31 Trade Deadline, but trades figure to be more difficult in a 60-game season for a multitude of reasons, including the inability to scout players in other organizations following the cancellation of the Minor League season and knowing that any player acquired will only appear in a month’s worth of regular-season games. Would the Phillies’ front office part with a prospect for a relief pitcher in a truncated season with eight teams from each league making the postseason?

“Well, that's Matt [Klentak’s] job and people above me,” Girardi said. “So my job is to manage the players that they give me and to get the best out of them. So I will continue to try to do that. You know, everyone talks about trades during the Trade Deadline and it always takes two to tango -- if you're going to do something, I mean. So I'll let them handle that and I'll manage the guys they give me.”

But the Phillies do need help, right?

“We have to get it done with the guys that we have right now,” Girardi said. “That's the bottom line. Because that's who's in the clubhouse.”

Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez allowed two runs in the bottom of the first inning in Game 2 to cut their lead to 7-2. He retired 13 of 14 batters at one point, but disaster struck in the sixth. Velasquez allowed a solo home run to Rowdy Tellez and a single to Teoscar Hernández to start the inning. Connor Brogdon walked Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and allowed a three-run home run to Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to make it 7-6. After Brogdon got the inning’s first out, Girardi summoned closer Héctor Neris to try for a five-out save.

Scott Kingery’s one-out error, a two-out walk to Cavan Biggio and a two-out error from Didi Gregorius loaded the bases.

“I thought it was going to take an extra hop on me, but it stayed down,” Gregorius said. “It was stupid by me to make a stupid mistake, and it cost us a couple runs. That’s on me.”

Danny Jansen scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at 7. It wasn’t even a splitter in the dirt. Neris simply yanked a fastball inside to allow the run to score. Tellez followed with a single to score two more runs to hand Toronto an improbable sweep.

“It’s baseball,” Gregorius said. “No one can predict the best bullpen. It doesn’t matter what team you’re on. I’ve been on teams that have been like this, too. It’s just a stretch. Everything is passing. Everything has to pass at some point. I trust in these guys. We have to go out there and keep fighting, and I trust in these guys.”