LOS ANGELES — As part of the hype routine every time a Dodgers reliever trots in from the bullpen, they turn out the lights at Dodger Stadium.
Entering under the cover of darkness is probably best for that group these days.
The Philadelphia Phillies rallied for four runs in the seventh and eighth innings and another in the 10th, hanging another loss on the Dodgers’ unreliable bullpen and clinching the National League East title with a 6-5 victory over the Dodgers on Monday night.
Meanwhile in the alcohol-free home clubhouse, the Dodgers had another reason to worry about the clear and present danger to their postseason hopes – that bullpen.
With the loss, the Dodgers’ lead over the idle San Diego Padres shrank to two games in the NL West. The chasm between them and the Phillies for the second seed (and a first-round bye) in the NL playoffs is now 5½ games with just 12 to play.
Three Dodgers lefty relievers – none of them named Tanner Scott – pitched against a Phillies’ lineup devoid of right-handed hitters Trea Turner and Alec Bohm due to injury. All three – Anthony Banda (as the opener), Jack Dreyer in the seventh and Alex Vesia in the eighth – gave up home runs.
The Dodgers opted to start Banda as an opener for right-hander Emmet Sheehan. The idea was Banda could face the dangerous left-handed hitters at the top of the Phillies’ lineup, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, once and allow Sheehan to get deeper into the game before facing them too often.
It’s the kind of overthinking the Dodgers usually save for the postseason.
Banda struck out right-handed Harrison Bader to start the game but didn’t retire either lefty. Schwarber got a 2-and-2 slider on the outside edge of the strike zone and sent it 390 feet into right-field pavilion.
It was Schwarber’s 53rd home run of the season – the 22nd off a left-handed pitcher. According to Elias Sports, that ties Matt Olson (2021) and Stan Musial (1949) for the most by a left-handed hitter off left-handed pitchers.
Banda walked Harper and Sheehan made his belated arrival. He didn’t give up a hit until Otto Kemp led off the seventh inning with a double. Schwarber and Harper went 0 for 3 with three strikeouts and a walk against Sheehan.
By the seventh, the Dodgers had absorbed the Schwarbomb and built a 3-1 lead on the strength of a Max Muncy home run off Phillies left-hander Ranger Suarez (further denting the left-on-left wisdom) and two sacrifice flies by Mookie Betts.
It all disappeared in the seventh inning. Dreyer replaced Sheehan after the leadoff double by Kemp. The rookie left-hander has been a bright spot in a cloudy bullpen. But he gave up an RBI single to Bryson Stott and a two-run home run to Weston Wilson, the last two hitters in the Phillies’ lineup.
Betts answered back with a solo home run to tie the game but Vesia came in to face Harper leading off the eighth. He got ahead in the count 1-and-2 and threw a fastball well above the strike zone. Harper drove it just over the wall in right field for the decisive home run.
Jhoan Duran – one of the relievers the Dodgers pursued at the trade deadline to address their glaring weakness but didn’t land – came in to close it out for the Phillies. Capable of throwing 101 mph fastballs, Duran threw a curveball to Pages. He crushed the gift, sending it 424 into the back of the Dodgers’ bullpen to tie the score. It was the first home run Duran had allowed since July.
The Phillies cashed in their free runner in the 10th inning without a hit against Blake Treinen. The Dodgers did not and have now lost 14 of their past 20 games decided by one run.
More to come on this story.
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