Exactly as planned: Phillies 5, Tigers 4

Seems the new closer might be pretty good

During the telecast for this evening’s game, Jimmy Rollins, recent inductee into the Wall of Fame, mentioned that whenever the team played on that night, they always lose. For some reason, they always played poorly on the night they were honoring the people that meant so much to the team’s history.

For much of this game, Jack Flaherty pitched like he was going to make that happen yet again. The Tigers starter was masterful through six innings, keeping what looked like a listless Phillies offense off balance and in check. Detroit’s offense mustered a single three-run home run from Gleyber Torres in the third inning off of Ranger Suarez, a shot that looked like it might hit the scoreboard, but also looked like it would be more than enough during this game.

Suarez, for his part, was also good. His velocity was down yet again for the third straight start, but he made it work as he usually does, that home run by Torres the only damage he would allow on the evening. Once that home run was given up, he settled into his pattern of keeping the Tigers hitters also off balance, having them pound baseballs into the ground on a repeat pattern.

It was just that Flaherty was so good, it looked like it would hold up.

Then the seventh happened.

Nick Castellanos started it by singling off of Flaherty, driving him from the game and handing it to the Detroit bullpen. Otto Kemp singled off of Tyler Holton, Harrison Bader walked in his Phillies debut and the bases were loaded with no one out. Edmundo Sosa lined out for the first out, bringing Bryson Stott to the plate. Stott flied out to drive in the first one on the board, but only one out. Will Vest would enter, give up a single to Trea Turner and suddenly the Phillies were within one. Kyle Schwarber followed with a single and things were tied up!

Bryce Harper would be called out on a check swing strike, getting himself ejected in the process, but the game was tied! The new bullpen had a chance to make their mar—

Well damn it.

With the Tigers in front to start the bottom of the eighth, the next Tigers reliever, Brennan Hanifee, would try and keep it that way. With one out, Castellanos singled, then hustled home when Kemp drove a fastball into the left field corner to give the Phillies their first lead of the night.

Sosa reached on an error by Hanifee that put runners on the corners for Stott, who hustled out a single of his own in the infield, giving the Phillies the lead again and letting us witness maybe the best introduction from the bullpen this stadium has seen in some time.

I mean, watch this thing.

Four pitches later, all registering as 99 miles per hour SPLITTERS, the Phillies had a hard fought win and showed off their new closer.

Just as they drew it up.