Phillies split the difference | Sports Daily Newsletter
The Phillies are coming back home, eager to gain a series advantage.
The Phillies are finally getting their long playoff drink of water, but is it half full or half empty? That largely depends on whom you ask.
For David Murphy, it’s a tragic opportunity lost for the team to fail to win behind the pitching of ace Zack Wheeler. Murphy finds that an ill omen for the squad ahead of the series’ return to Philadelphia.
Marcus Hayes, for his part, considers a stolen Game 1 win the team’s ace in the hole and isn’t much fazed by the Game 2 loss.
Whether one views the 1-1 split optimistically or not, however, that’s exactly where the Phillies find themselves now. Certain players have been surprises, and others haven’t been impactful yet. The atmosphere and the role the home fans have to play at Citizens Bank Park also remains to be seen.
—Andrea Canales, Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
❓What’s your take on the series so far? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.
For 5⅔ innings Wednesday night in Game 2 of the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, Zack Wheeler couldn’t have been more in rhythm. He retired 17 of 18 batters on a total of 58 pitches. He dazzled, as usual, especially at Truist Park against his hometown team. Wheeler hit Ronald Acuña Jr. with a first-pitch sinker, and the unraveling began. But the Phillies ace only blamed himself.
Rhys Hoskins says his misplay of a ground ball in the sixth inning that changed Game 2 is a “play I’ve made before and I’ll make again.”
Next: After an off-day on Thursday, the playoffs are back in Philadelphia on with Game 3 at 4:37 p.m. Friday (Fox). Aaron Nola (11-13, 3.25) will start for the Phillies. The Braves have not named a starter yet.
John Tortorella is best known for his demanding coaching style and blowups with the media. But there is a lot more to the 64-year-old bench boss than meets the eye.
Olivia Reiner talked with the man himself to get an inside look into his plan to rebuild the Flyers and discuss the parallels between his challenge with the Flyers and what he faced in his previous job with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Next: The Flyers open the season tonight at the Wells Fargo Center against the New Jersey Devils (7 p.m., ESPN+/Hulu).
Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson hasn’t given up a sack since 2020 and indicates that he doesn’t get the proper recognition outside of his own team. So let’s go to the film to see what makes him great — and have Johnson and offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland break it down. Mix in Johnson’s athleticism, Jason Peters’ influence, and Stoutland’s tricks of the trade, and you’ve got yourself one of the best tackles in the league.
The Eagles offensive line will have its hands full against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, as Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence seek to wreck the winning streak. It comes at a time when the line is banged up, as Jordan Mailata’s status remains in question. And if last week’s game plan at Arizona was any indication, the injuries have had a noticeable effect on the offense.
For the Eagles’ pass rushers, they have on their minds what’s been going around the NFL as the league has an issue with the roughing the passer penalty. Brandon Graham and Haason Reddick are among those who aren’t quite sure what constitutes a penalty anymore.
All in all, the Eagles keep on rolling as the Cowboys come to town with standout performances in all three phases, the latest from Cameron Dicker. The Eagles could see Jake Elliott return Sunday, but Dicker did help put this squad in rarefied air.
Inquirer Eagles beat reporters EJ Smith and Josh Tolentino preview the team’s Week 6 game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday at 6 p.m. Watch at Inquirer.com/EaglesGameday
Charles Bassey faces a tenuous future with the 76ers. The team currently has 19 players and needs to cut that down to 15 before the start of the regular season.
But living on tenuous ground is nothing new for Bassey, who took a long journey to the NBA. He grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, transitioned to Texas and Louisville, Ky., for high school, and sojourned to Western Kentucky for three years before joining the Sixers. At every stop, Bassey faced adversity, including an investigation into his high school recruitment, injuries in college, and a potential numbers crunch with the Sixers.
The Inquirer’s Keith Pompey talked to Bassey and those closest to him about the Sixers big man’s resilience.
Next: With the NBA preseason behind them, the Sixers are prepping for their regular-season opener against the Boston Celtics on Oct. 18.
In hindsight, former Philadelphia Independence player Joanna Lohman tells The Inquirer in an exclusive interview, there were signs that all was not well within the team, which was led for two seasons by Paul Riley back in the days of Women’s Professional Soccer.
Certain boundaries and policies to protect players simply didn’t exist. Players were conditioned to never question or cross the coach, who could be volatile and vocal about minor infractions, and who then allegedly did much worse to certain teammates.
Worth a look
Temple tough: A big test is coming for Stan Drayton and his players.
What you’re saying about the Phillies
We asked, Who will be next to step up for the Phillies and how? Among the responses:
Brandon Marsh, because nobody will c it coming — Paul O.
Hopefully Hoskins. He’s done nothing. By the way, neither did Castellanos until last week. So there is hope. —Bill M.
Hopefully Rhys Hoskins will wake up and realize the Phillies need his bat! — Joseph R.
The next step is the hardest one. Trying to stay loose Confidence, not cockiness. There is a lot of tough baseball left before the trophy ceremony……observe your manager, he’s the definition of “loose " and “confident” GO PHILLIES“ — John S.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Jonathan Tannenwald, Scott Lauber, Alex Coffey, EJ Smith, Jeff McLane, Olivia Reiner, David Murphy, Marcus Hayes, Josh Tolentino, Keith Pompey, and Javon Edmonds.