In a series between the two top teams in the National League, the Philadelphia Phillies came out 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 that game with a pivotal, five-run sixth inning, though Los Angeles would argue that an erroneous obstruction call shifted the game and, ultimately, the series.
Either way, the Phillies were the winners in what undoubtedly was a major 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 post-All-Star break. It’s a far cry from the high level of play the team exhibited through the first half of the season, though they still hold the National League’s best record at 68-46 heading into a four-game series at the Arizona Diamondbacks.
After the Phillies’ latest win, the importance of the series for his team wasn’t lost on manager Rob Thomson.
“Well, it’s good to finally win a series because we’ve been looking to do that for a while,” he said. “As of late, we’ve been playing really good baseball and played a really good club over there. So it’s good to get out of here with a series win.
“Even in Seattle, I thought we played pretty well — at the end of the series anyway. So yeah, hopefully we’re going to get back to where we were.”
Philadelphia’s most recent series win prior to Wednesday was a home sweep of the Dodgers on July 11. The defeats since then have included a sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees and losing two of three to the lowly Oakland Athletics.
Kyle Schwarber — who had an amazing game to end the series, with three home runs and seven RBI — said the game had more significance than his career highlight.
“I mean, I’m sure it’ll be in the memory, but I think that the biggest thing is getting us a series win there against a really quality opponent and heading into another big series there in Arizona,” Schwarber said. “So keeping the momentum on our side is going to be big.”
Those Diamondbacks (63-52) are only three games behind the Dodgers in the NL West. After facing the Snakes, the Phillies have matchups with the Nationals and Marlins before they play a Braves team that is firmly in the NL wild-card hunt; Atlanta trails Philadelphia in the NL East by eight games.
These next few series should give Philadelphia the opportunity to not only extend its lead in the NL’s No. 1 spot but also build momentum toward the final stretch of the regular season.
Dodgers’ lead shrinks in NL West, but Mookie Betts is expected back soon
The Dodgers also haven’t been playing up to their own standards since the All-Star break. L.A. won its first two series, dropping only one game out of seven. But after that, the Dodgers lost three out of four series. This most recent series loss was especially bitter, considering that a controversial umpire ruling played a big role in the defeat, according to the Dodgers.
An obstruction call at the top of the sixth inning Wednesday ultimately led to Philadelphia taking a lead that it would hold for the remainder of the game. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, whose initial objection to the call earned him an ejection by third-base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt, said the call changed the entire complexion of the game and the series as a whole.
“It was an egregious miscall,” Roberts said afterward.
The missed call and loss will remain 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 beginning Friday before they face off against another NL division leader in the Milwaukee Brewers next week. That matchup holds significance because it’s a chance for the Dodgers to make a statement about their standing in the NL, and maybe more importantly for their postseason aspirations, Mookie Betts is expected to make his return at the start of 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 back a former MVP will no doubt provide a big boost for the Dodgers. Before the injury, Betts was batting .304 with 10 home runs and nine stolen bases.
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Still a ways away for the Dodgers is the return of Max Muncy. The two-time All-Star has been out since May due to an oblique injury. He’s set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City this weekend.
On the pitching front, Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw a 30-pitch bullpen Tuesday afternoon, according to the AP. The rookie starting pitcher has been dealing with right triceps tightness 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 coming back would add to a formidable yet frequently 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 top teams in the NL. Earning one of the league’s top two seeds would allow them to rest as the wild-card round is played, rest that could prove crucial in having all their guys ready for the deep postseason run they’ve been aiming for since last winter.
