Dodgers suffer their first loss after ninth-inning rally sputters vs. Phillies
PHILADELPHIA — To many around the sport, the Dodgers have become villains for the way they've outspent the rest of the league, loaded their roster with international talent, and stockpiled depth at seemingly every position.
To the Phillies, however, it makes them the standard; one with which their own big-money, star-studded roster is trying to compete.
'I don't know if people will like this,' said the Phillies' biggest star, two-time MVP Bryce Harper, when asked about the Dodgers on Friday afternoon, 'but I feel like only losers complain about what they're doing. I think they're a great team, they're a great organization. That's why guys want to go there and play.'
In other words, Harper added, 'they're doing what the Dodgers do.'
That's why, on Friday night, there was a distinct buzz around Citizens Bank Park when the Dodgers came to town. Why, for the first week of April, this series had a litmus-test kind of feel.
'I think that both teams like to use each other as a barometer, or a benchmark,' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
But right now, no team sets the bar higher than the Dodgers.
And for one night, at least, the first-place Phillies were able to measure up.
In a 3-2 defeat of the Dodgers, the Phillies handed the defending World Series champions their first loss of the season; dropping the Dodgers to 8-1 in a game that, yes, proved this year's $400 million team is, in fact, beatable.
Knocking off the Dodgers was no easy feat.
Over six innings against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Phillies had only one unearned run, when Yamamoto misfired on a pick-off throw to third that allowed Trea Turner to score.
Philadelphia's own starter, burgeoning 27-year-old left-hander Jesús Luzardo, produced one of his best career starts, blanking the Dodgers over seven scoreless innings on two hits, two walks and eight strikeouts.
And the few times the Dodgers did have opportunities to erase the deficit, they squandered them.
Andy Pages got picked off to end the sixth inning. Kiké Hernández struck out without two aboard to end the seventh. Shohei Ohtani was caught trying to steal second with runners on the corners to end the eighth. Then, after Tommy Edman hit a two-run homer in the ninth, the game ended with yet another out on the bases, with Chris Taylor getting tagged at second for a strikeout-caught stealing double-play.
Such are the kind of performances that will likely be needed this season to beat the Dodgers, whose perfect start to the season fell two wins shy of the all-time franchise record of 10-0 set by the 1955 'Boys of Summer' World Series squad.
Such is the standard that rival National League contenders like the Phillies (6-1), San Francisco Giants (6-1) and San Diego Padres (who also lost their perfect record Friday, dropping to 7-1) are all trying to match.
'There's a mutual respect,' Roberts said of the Phillies. 'I enjoy playing these guys.'
As for Harper's comments about people who take issue with the Dodgers' way of doing business?
'I guess that's probably why Bryce is one of my favorite players,' Roberts said with a laugh. 'I agree.'
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