Phillies confidence damaged in NLCS Game 4 after Craig Kimbrel’s meltdown.
HORIZON − Late Friday night, there was utter silence within the Philadelphia Phillies’ clubhouse.
Incredulous, the players gazed blankly into their lockers. Talking quietly, the Phillies front office was in manager Rob Thomson’s office. John Middleton, the owner, stood down the corridor in silence.
Following their shocking 6-5 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Phillies spoke to reporters and photographers in brief, muted bursts, as they attempted to reassure everyone that everything would be alright.
But their expressions were devoid of any confidence.
Three days ago, this squad came to Phoenix and was already talking about playing a World Series game against the Diamondbacks and diving into Chase Field’s pool.
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Rather, they saw a safe eighth-inning lead dissolve in the desert that night, and now they’re fighting for their lives.
Even though the National League Championship Series is knotted at two games apiece, the Diamondbacks are in control thanks to their ace, Zac Gallen, who is scheduled to start Game 5 [8:07 p.m. ET, TBS] at Chase Field before they play Game 6 in Philadelphia.
“I’m sick of the story that says we’re fortunate to be here,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo remarked. I am aware that Garrett Stubbs, their backup catcher, said something about running or running straight to the pool.
NLCS GAME 4 RECAP:
As the Diamondbacks rally to defeat the Phillies and even the NLCS, Kimbrel breaks down.
President Dave Dombrowski, General Manager Sam Fuld, and General Manager Thompson sat in his office as the Diamondbacks celebrated their most thrilling postseason triumph since winning the 2001 World Series, attempting to make sense of it all.
Although they will face Gallen in Game 5 and have Zack Wheeler as their ace, their bullpen is completely incompetent and they don’t know who to trust.
Craig Kimbrel, the man who has saved 417 games in his career, has lost it at the worst possible time.
He blew a 5-3 lead in the eighth inning to seal the Game 3 loss in the ninth inning.
On Friday, he faced six batters.
Three batters made it to base.
And when he allowed youngster Alek Thomas to hit a game-tying, two-run home run on a 3-and-2 fastball that landed in the pool, he almost brought Chase Field to its knees. With a deafening ovation, Thomas danced around the bases until he fell to his knees in agony.
“That play, you know, is something you see in your dreams,” Thomas remarked. It’s amazing that it materialized in real life and happened to me. I’m really appreciative of that opportunity. It’s simply not real. Just absurd. Though I haven’t given it much thought yet, it was fantastic.
After four batters, the game was ended. After Kimbrel was thankfully removed from the game with two batters on base, Jose Alvarado was unable to clean up his mess as Gabriel Moreno lined a single to center field for a 6-5 lead.