'We're still in it': Phils snap skid, get back on track in WC race
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WASHINGTON -- Breathe, Phillies.
Breathe.
The Phils beat the Nationals, 5-1, in Game 1 of Friday¡¯s doubleheader at Nationals Park, snapping a five-game losing streak and reducing their postseason magic number to five with six games to play. Game 2 was postponed because of rain and rescheduled for a split doubleheader Saturday. Philadelphia is a half-game ahead of Milwaukee for the third National League Wild Card spot, but the Phillies own a tiebreaker over the Brewers because they won the season series, 4-2. Milwaukee must finish with a better record to bounce Philadelphia from the postseason.
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The Phillies remain in a strong position to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011, even if it hasn¡¯t felt like it lately. They entered Friday having lost 10 of their past 13 games, including a sweep at the hands of the Cubs this week at Wrigley Field. Pressure was mounting. Reminders of previous September collapses were everywhere.
It¡¯s never good when 1964 -- the year the Phillies blew a 6 1/2-game lead with 12 games remaining -- is coming up in conversations.
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But then Rhys Hoskins smashed a solo home run to right-center field in the first inning to give the Phils a 1-0 lead. It was Hoskins¡¯ 30th homer of the season and the club¡¯s first since Kyle Schwarber went yard in the third inning Sunday against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park.
It helped.
¡°Just a first-inning run is going to go a long way for us,¡± Hoskins said. ¡°I think everybody got to take a little bit of a deep breath. Know that we can still score runs. Chicago was not good, plain and simple, right? But we know that we¡¯re still in it. We still have a chance as long as we just continue to focus on what we have in front of us.¡±
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Phillies left-hander Bailey Falter struck out six in six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and two walks. He is 6-1 with a 3.07 ERA in eight starts since Aug. 20.
He stopped two three-game losing streaks and one five-game skid in that stretch.
¡°It¡¯s awesome,¡± Falter said. ¡°Especially after my ¡ poor performance last outing.¡±
Falter allowed six runs in 3 2/3 innings Saturday in a 6-3 loss to the Braves.
¡°It felt really good to go out there and give the team a chance to win,¡± Falter said. ¡°The boys earned it. I¡¯m just happy I delivered for them.¡±
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One victory can change a team¡¯s outlook. And this team needed a fresh outlook. A few players spoke up after the Cubs series. They talked about forgetting and moving forward, focusing on the games ahead.
¡°I think it wore on us,¡± Hoskins said about the sweep in Chicago. ¡°We¡¯re competitive. We care. We care probably too much, at times. But in this game, you can¡¯t dwell on it too long. We have to flush it. We¡¯re a game up. We continue to win games, we¡¯re going to be where we want to be. Because of that, I think you have to flush it.¡±
Then the team flew to Washington, D.C., for a four-game series. The flight landed and the team boarded buses at the airport. Players huddled around a few smartphones to catch the end of Thursday¡¯s Brewers-Marlins game in Milwaukee.
The Brewers held a 2-0 lead in the eighth inning when the Marlins¡¯ Avisa¨ªl Garc¨ªa hit a two-strike, two-out grand slam, and Miami held on to win it, 4-2.
¡°That was pretty cool to watch,¡± Hoskins said. ¡°Big Avisa¨ªl Garc¨ªa fan after last night.¡±