When facing the best team in baseball, you can’t afford to make mistakes and give away outs. On Monday, the Philadelphia Phillies managed to make the ugliest of mistakes.
In the top of the third inning with runners on the corners and one out, the Phillies displayed some of the worst baserunning you’ll ever witness in a game (but was it worse than this?).
https://twitter.com/MattJ_Sports/status/1024081769425920000
As left fielder Rhys Hoskins got stuck in a rundown in between third and home, center fielder Odubel Herrera tried to advance to third.
Instead, Boston’s catcher Sandy Leon chased Hoskins back to third then threw to shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who tagged out Herrera. Hoskins then turned back for home, only for Bogaerts to throw to Eduardo Nunez who tagged him out.
Suddenly, Philadelphia turned a potentially great opportunity to expand on their 1-0 lead into an inning-ending double play and a wasted opportunity.
Given how close the race is in the N.L. East between Philadelphia and the Atlanta Braves, it’s moments like this that could end up deciding postseason spots.