After a strong start, Phillies falter in a 7-4 loss to the Dodgers

The Phillies scored early on Saturday, putting up more runs in their first four innings than they’d scored over their past 42. The small outburst was short-lived.

After Kyle Schwarber’s solo homer gave the Phillies a 4-1 lead in the fourth inning, the Dodgers scored the next six runs. The Phillies meanwhile, would get a one-out single from Odúbel Herrera following Schwarber’s blast and wouldn’t get another hit the rest of the way. Including a shakier and shorter performance than normal from Aaron Nola, it all led to a 7-4 loss, the Phillies’ third defeat in a row. They now are 18-22 and are third in the NL East.

“It’s frustrating for all of us,” said manager Joe Girardi. “I mean, this is frustrating. We go out and have a really good road trip, you try to build on your road trip, and you come home and you lose some games where you don’t score any runs. Three of them I think, as a matter of fact, basically, and it’s really frustrating.”

The narrative surrounding Nola this season has been that he’s pitched well, but hasn’t received the support from the offense and the bullpen that he needs to get wins. Initially, it seemed like Saturday night might be another one of those outings. Nola started things off with a 1-2-3 first inning, and allowed only one hit in the second inning.

» READ MORE: The Phillies appeared to be done with Dollar Dog Nights. Then an angry ‘fan’ called his senator’s office.

Then, he gave up a solo home run to Mookie Betts in the third inning. After another 1-2-3 frame in the fourth, he allowed a two-run double to Betts in the fifth. In the sixth, he allowed a solo home run to Will Smith, and his night was over. All of the Dodgers’ run-scoring hits off Nola came on two-strike pitches.

“The two-strike hits hurt us tonight,” Girardi said. “I thought [Nola] pitched a pretty good ballgame. He hung a breaking ball to Mookie and it looked like he got a fastball up to Smith. Smith is a pretty good high-ball hitter. But for the most part, I thought he threw a pretty decent game. But it’s an offense that just keeps grinding at you. That’s what they did tonight. They kept putting runners on and we were able to avoid it a few of the innings that the relievers were in, but at the end, we weren’t able to do it.”

Nola allowed five hits, four earned runs, a walk, and the two home runs. He did, however, strike out nine Dodgers. In five of Nola’s past eight outings, he’s gone six innings or deeper. He went 5 1/3 innings on Saturday, forcing Girardi to turn to his bullpen a little earlier than expected.

Girardi went through five relievers: Brad Hand, Connor Brogdon, José Alvarado, Seranthony Domínguez, and Jeurys Familia. Hand was not able to record an out. Alvarado was charged with two earned runs, two hits, and a walk. Domínguez threw two wild pitches, one allowing a run to score. And Familia allowed a solo homer to Austin Barnes in the ninth. Brogdon looked solid, allowing only two hits, but other than that it was another overall subpar performance by the ‘pen.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Phillies got their best chance to take the lead. Herrera walked, and J.T. Realmuto was hit by a pitch, putting men on first and second. Rhys Hoskins reached first on a fielder’s choice, loading the bases for Alec Bohm with one out.

» READ MORE: How the Phillies can improve their three biggest weaknesses by the trade deadline

Bohm lined out to Betts in short right field, and Herrera took off for home plate. Betts took the ball on the run, bobbled the ball a little bit, but nailed the throw to catcher Will Smith. Betts’ laser had Herrera out by a mile. Herrera slid but wasn’t even remotely close.

“On that play, we decided to be aggressive,” said Herrera through a translator. “I saw a channel there and I heard [third base coach] Dusty [Wathan] say let’s go and I took off.”

With Bryce Harper on deck, and with the five-time Gold Glove-winning Betts in right field, it seemed like a questionable decision, even in a tie game. The Phillies wouldn’t get another chance. They went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eighth, and 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth.

Girardi said after the game that he was “OK” with the choice to send Herrera home, even with Harper on deck.

“[Betts] made a really good throw,” Girardi said. “There’s a lot of things that can happen that can go your way; it just didn’t.”