In a series between the National League’s top two teams, the Philadelphia Phillies emerged victorious, winning two of three games against the Los Angeles Dodgers this week. The final game of the series saw the Phillies win 9-4 on Wednesday.
Philadelphia took control of the game with a crucial five-run sixth inning, although Los Angeles argued that an errant obstruction call changed the game and, ultimately, the series.
Either way, the Phillies were victorious in what was undoubtedly a great NL matchup, and that offers a bright spot for Philadelphia in what has been a shaky stretch since the All-Star break. Coming out of this series, Philadelphia is 6-12 after the All-Star break. It’s a far cry from the high level of play the team displayed during the first half of the season, though it still holds the best record in the National League, 68-46, before a four-game series at the Arizona Diamondbacks.
After the Phillies’ latest victory, the importance of the series to his team was not lost on manager Rob Thomson.
“Well, it’s nice to finally win a series because we’ve been wanting to do it for a while now,” he said. “Lately, we’ve been playing really good baseball and we play a really good club over there. So it’s good to leave here with a series win.
“Even in Seattle, I thought we played really well – at least at the end of the series. So, yes, I hope we can get back to where we were.”
Philadelphia’s most recent series win before Wednesday was a home win over the Dodgers on July 11. Losses since then have included a sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees and two losses out of three to the lowly Oakland Athletics.
Kyle Schwarber — who had an incredible game late in the series, with three home runs and seven RBI — said the game had more meaning than the highlight of his career.
“I mean, I’m sure it will be remembered, but I think the most important thing is that we get a series win against a really quality opponent and we’re headed to another great series there in Arizona,” Schwarber said. “So keeping the momentum on our side will be big.”
These Diamondbacks (63-52) are just three games behind the Dodgers in the NL West. After facing the Snakes, the Phillies face the Nationals and Marlins before facing a Braves team that is firmly in the NL wild card hunt; Atlanta trails Philadelphia in the NL East by eight games.
The upcoming series should give Philadelphia the opportunity to not only extend its lead in first place in the NL, but also gain momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
Dodgers’ lead shrinks in NL West, but Mookie Betts expected back soon
The Dodgers also haven’t played up to their own standards since the All-Star break. LA won its first two series, losing just one game in seven. But after that, the Dodgers lost three of four series. This most recent series loss was especially bitter considering a controversial umpiring decision played a big role in the loss, according to the Dodgers.
An obstruction call in the top of the sixth inning Wednesday led to Philadelphia taking a lead that it would maintain for the rest of the game. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, whose initial objection to the call earned him an ejection from third base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt, said the call changed the entire complexion of the game and the series as a whole.
“It was a blatant mistake,” Roberts said afterward.
The missed call and the loss will stay with the Dodgers as they continue to fight for wins while dealing with injuries to many of their star players. Next up for them is a series against the Pirates that begins on Friday, before they face another NL division leader, the Milwaukee Brewers, next week. This matchup is significant because it is a chance for the Dodgers to make a statement about their standing in the NL and, perhaps more importantly for their postseason aspirations, Mookie Betts is expected to return early in the series. Betts has been out of the lineup since June 16, when he was hit by a pitch that fractured his left hand.
Getting a former MVP back will undoubtedly be a huge boost for the Dodgers. Before the injury, Betts was batting .304 with 10 home runs and nine stolen bases.
Still a long way off for the Dodgers is the return of Max Muncy. The two-time All-Star has been sidelined since May with an oblique injury. He is set to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Oklahoma City this weekend.
On the pitching front, Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw a 30-pitch bullpen on Tuesday afternoon, according to the AP. The rookie pitcher has been dealing with tightness in his right triceps and has been out since June. The timetable for his return is unclear.
With the recent return of longtime Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, in addition to the acquisition of starter Jack Flaherty from the Tigers at the trade deadline, Yamamoto’s return would add to a formidable but often injured group of starting pitchers that includes Gavin Stone and Tyler Glasnow.
For the Dodgers, health will be the most important factor as they look to finish the regular season as one of the best teams in the NL. Winning one of the league’s top two seeds would allow them to rest while the wild card round is played, a rest that could be crucial to having all of their players ready for the deep postseason run they’ve been aiming for since last winter.
