Suarez still not at his best as Phillies lose Game 1 of big series originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
MILWAUKEE — Ranger Suarez failed to complete six innings for the sixth consecutive start as the Phillies fell to the Brewers, 6-2, in a series-opening loss Monday night.
Suarez was a key part of the Phillies’ terrific first half of the season, going 10-1 with a 1.75 ERA in his first 15 starts, but he hasn’t been the same in his last 10 outings. He has a 5.61 ERA since June 25 after missing a month from July 27 to Aug. 24 with lower back soreness.
He allowed three runs and needed 104 pitches to get through five innings. The decisive inning came in the bottom of the third inning when the first man Jackson Chourio walked and Blake Perkins singled off Suarez with one out for Willson Contreraswho hit a two-run double to left-center field on a full count. The Phillies were on the upswing from that point on.
“I think I beat myself up tonight,” he said. “That’s the main reason I left the game so early. A lot of pitches. A lot of two-strike counts. I just wasn’t as effective as I usually am with those pitches.”
Suarez walked Rhys Hoskins to start the bottom of the fourth inning and quickly found himself in trouble in the second and third innings with no outs. He rebounded with a flyout, a groundout and a strikeout, but the Brewers added another run.
The left-hander had a scare in the inning, sliding as he left the mound to catch a lightly hit ground ball. Suarez’s left foot gave way and he landed on his right wrist, but he stayed in the game and retired the last four batters he faced.
It wasn’t a terrible night, but Suarez didn’t have control of his drives. He allowed three walks, two of which were scored, and spent almost as much time behind as he did ahead in the count.
“He had a hard time finishing hitters tonight,” manager Rob Thomson said. “I think he had 16 two-strike counts and only five strikeouts. That’s a little low for him. You’ve got to give them credit, they gave him some good at-bats, but those walks hurt.”
As fantastic as he’s been through mid-June, Suarez is probably the Phillies’ fourth starting pitcher in a playoff series at this point. He’s been clearly outplayed in the last month by Christopher Sanchezand if the Phillies do end up playing Sanchez in Game 2 of the NLDS, they will likely split the righties and lefties, using Aaron Nola in game 3.
There are still more than two weeks left before that decision is made. The first game of the NLDS will be played on October 5.
“First of all, we have to get there,” Suarez said when asked about finding a rhythm ahead of the playoffs.
Thomson described Suarez’s recent starts as essentially rehabilitation starts, as he did not take part in a rehab mission after missing four weeks with his back injury. Suarez disputed that notion, however.
“No, I don’t mean it like that,” he said. “I think there’s a reason I didn’t go on a rehab mission and that’s because I didn’t need to. I just think I fought myself tonight more than usual.
“Executing those 0-2, 1-2 shots better and finishing the scores, that will be one of the goals I set for myself.”
The series in Milwaukee This week is a potential playoff preview and holds great importance in the National League playoff field. The Phils have a three-game lead over the Brewers thanks to the head-to-head tiebreaker, giving them a de facto four-game lead.
The Phillies are aiming for first place in the standings and their lead over the The Dodgers There are two games to play, one plus the tiebreaker. Aside from first place, a win over the Brewers this week would move the Phillies closer to securing at least one of the top two playoff spots, both of which have byes.
If the Phillies win the next two nights, they will travel to New York with a six-game lead over the Brewers.
If they end up losing two of three games in Milwaukee, they will travel to New York with a four-game lead over the Brewers (three plus the tiebreaker).
And if they get swept at American Family Field, the Phillies will be just two games ahead of the Brewers and will no longer hold the tiebreaker since they will have split all six games this season. The next tiebreaker is a division record and the Brewers (30-19) have a decent advantage over the Phillies (27-18).
Kyle Schwarber He appeared to hit a home run on the first pitch of the game Monday, but it was barely an error and he was thrown out two pitches later. Brewers right-handed Aaron Civale K’d seven in five innings, allowing only one solo home run to Brandon Marsh at the top of the fifth.
The Phillies didn’t help themselves by finding themselves with two outs in the third inning. Cal Stevenson walked but was ejected in the third on a Trea Turner A single to right field. Then Turner mistimed Civale’s delivery and threw too early to second base, resulting in a fly catch.
The sixth inning was a comeback opportunity when Schwarber and Turner led off with singles, down two runs, to chase Civale. But the Brewers turned to the former Phillies left-hander Hobby Milner And Bryce Harper aligned, Nick Castellanos struck and Alec Bohm stranded on the mound.
The Phillies put their first two men on the field in the seventh inning against Milner, but managed only one run. The Brewers’ bullpen has the lowest earned run average in the National League at 3.17. The first two relievers used by the Phillies — Jose Alvarado And Tanner Banks — were irregular and allowed three points.
“We had enough hits to score a few runs, but it didn’t work out,” Thomson said.
The Phils hope to even the series Tuesday night with their ace, Zack Wheeler (15-6, 2.60). The Brewers will start Frankie Montas (7-10, 4.49).
