Braves Crush Phillies Bullpen

Originally posted on FanNation Inside The Phillies
By Ben Silver | Last updated 8/3/22

You've probably heard that the Philadelphia Phillies improved in the last 24 hours. Well those improvements were not on display Tuesday night as the Atlanta Braves had their way with the Phillies, crushing them 13-1.

Nick Nelson was pegged as the starter in name only. Phillies interim manager Rob Thomson told media that his goal for the long reliever was for him to throw three innings.

Nelson looked competent through two, allowing three baserunners, but escaping both frames cleanly. The Phillies even spotted him a lead in the second inning.

After Nick Castellanos lined a single to left field, Darick Hall ripped a ball down the first base line which ricocheted off Matt Olson's glove. It trickled slowly into foul territory as Castellanos circled the bases for what would become a short-lived 1-0 Phillies lead.

Nelson again took the mound in the third, but after he allowed the first two runners to reach base, Thomson reached into his 'pen and plucked elite setup man Connor Brogdon to halt the bleeding.

It seemed he'd completed his job when he worked Eddie Rosario to two strikes with two outs, but Rosario lined a groundball that the Phillies first baseman, Rhys Hoskins deflected. Two Atlanta runs crossed the plate and the Phillies lost a lead they would never regain.

Andrew Bellatti was the next man out of the bullpen for the Phillies, he allowed only one run to cross the plate. Compared to the other Philadelphia relievers on the night, it was a solid showing.

But the wheels fell off for the Phillies in the fifth inning when Corey Knebel entered. He had been on a hot stretch, going back to June 22 Knebel hadn't allowed a single run. But the Phillies $10 million man made up for it in droves on the night of August 2nd.

Knebel worked two outs with just a runner on first before the Braves began their rally. Rosario doubled to score Olson from first. Willson Contreras singled to score Rosario and Marcell Ozuna singled Contreras.

Knebel's outing was becoming reminiscent of a Looney Tunes sketch.

With Orlando Arcia coming to the plate, the Braves eight-hole hitter, Knebel might have thought himself out of the jam. Instead Arcia took the Phillies reliever deep for an 8-1 game. That was all she wrote for Corey Knebel.

Mark Appel came in to reliever him, but the Phillies may as well have put a position player in. Francisco Morales and Appel finished the final 3 1/3 innings for the Phillies, allowing five more runs to cross the plate in mop up duty.

Philadelphia managed only four hits in a loss they'd surely like to forget.