Suarez out of form again as Phillies lose first game of important series. Originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
MILWAUKEE – Ranger Suarez failed to complete six innings for the sixth consecutive game as the Phillies lost 6-2 to the Brewers in the series opener on Monday night.
Suarez was a key player in the Phillies’ great first half. He went 10-1 with a 1.75 ERA in his first 15 appearances, but he hasn’t been the same in his last 10 appearances. He has a 5.61 ERA since June 25 and missed a month from July 27 to August 24 because of back soreness.
He allowed three runs and needed 104 pitches to get through five innings. The decisive frame came in the bottom of the third, when leadoff man Jackson Chourio was walked and Blake Perkins hit a single off Suarez with one out for Willson Contreras, who hit a two-run double to left center on a full count. Things started looking up for the Phillies from that point on.
Suarez walked Rhys Hoskins to start the fourth inning and quickly found himself in a second- and third-run no-out situation. He recovered with a flyout, groundout and strikeout, but the Brewers scored one more run.
The left-hander had a scary moment in the inning when he slipped coming off the mound to catch a weakly hit ground ball. Suarez’s left foot gave way and he landed on his left wrist, but he stayed in the game and struck out the last four batters he faced.
It wasn’t a bad night, but Suarez’s command wasn’t good. He allowed three walks – two of which resulted in hits – and spent almost as much of the night trailing as he was leading.
As fantastic as he was through mid-June, Suarez will likely enter a playoff series as the Phillies’ fourth starter. He’s been significantly outperformed by Cristopher Sanchez over the last month, and if the Phillies start Sanchez in Game 2 of the NLDS, they’ll likely split righties and lefties and use Aaron Nola in Game 3.
There are still more than two weeks until this decision has to be made. Game 1 of the NLDS is on October 5th.
This week’s series in Milwaukee is a potential playoff preview and has major implications for the National League playoff field. The Phils are three games ahead of the Brewers in head-to-head play, giving them a virtual four-game lead.
The Phillies are seeking the top seed and have a two-game lead over the Dodgers — one plus tiebreakers. Aside from the top seed, a win over the Brewers this week would put the Phillies closer to securing at least one of the top two playoff spots, both of which are by-play.
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 head to New York with a four-game lead (three plus tiebreakers) over the Brewers.
And if they go down at American Family Field, the Phillies will be just two games ahead of the Brewers and will no longer have the tiebreaker, as they would have split the six meetings this season. The next tiebreaker is the record in their own division, and the Brewers (30-19) have a decent lead over the Phillies (27-18).
Kyle Schwarber appeared to hit a home run on the first pitch of the game on Monday, but it was hardly a foul and he struck out two pitches later. Brewers right-hander Aaron Civale struck out seven times in five innings, allowing only a solo home run by Brandon Marsh in the fifth inning.
The Phillies didn’t do themselves any favors when they got two outs in the third inning. Cal Stevenson managed a walk but was thrown out at third base on a Trea Turner single to right field. Then Turner misread Civale’s throw and ran to second base too early, resulting in a caught steal.
The sixth inning was a prime comeback opportunity when Schwarber and Turner led off with two runs behind with singles to chase Civale. But the Brewers turned to former Phillies left-hander Hoby Milner and Bryce Harper hit a linebacker, Nick Castellanos struck out and Alec Bohm brought the ball back to the mound.
The Phillies put their first two relievers on the field in the seventh inning against Milner, but only managed one run. The Brewers’ bullpen has the lowest ERA in the National League at 3.17. The first two relievers the Phillies used – Jose Alvarado and Tanner Banks – were inconsistent, allowing a combined three runs.
The Phils will look to even the series on Tuesday night with their ace Zack Wheeler (15-6, 2.60). The Brewers will start with Frankie Montas (7-10, 4.49).
