The Phillies’ offense remained cold in a third straight loss and has scored a total of two runs since Saturday.
They fell to the Blue Jays, 2-1, to begin a two-game series in Toronto. They have just one extra-base hit in their last two games, a Johan Rojas double off Yusei Kikuchi that accounted for their only run Tuesday night.
The game was tied 1-1 in the eighth inning when Seranthony Dominguez came on and loaded the bases with one out on two walks and a single. Alec Bohm made a nice play to cut down a run at the plate on a force-out, but with two away, Dominguez hit Cavan Biggio on the first pitch to force in what turned out to be the game-winning run.
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The Phillies are 65-55 and remain in the top National League wild-card spot.
They had just two baserunners until the sixth inning when Edmundo Sosa hit an infield single to third base and Rojas drove him in with a double. The top of the order went down 1-2-3 to strand Rojas.
Zack Wheeler, who pitched very well over seven innings, gave the run back in the bottom of the sixth. He picked up a double play ball to put a runner on third with two outs but George Springer singled him home.
The Phillies stranded Bryson Stott at second base with two outs in the seventh, then went down in order in the eighth and ninth.
Philadelphia Phillies
Things will get no easier for the scuffling offense Wednesday against Blue Jays ace Kevin Gausman, who pitched six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts earlier this season at Citizens Bank Park. Opposing pitching matchups have played into the quiet few days. The Phillies faced Pablo Lopez and Sonny Gray over the weekend, then a locked-in Kikuchi Tuesday.
The Marlins, Cubs and Reds — the teams directly behind the Phillies and Giants — all lost as well. The Phils didn’t lose much ground but they'll want to get this taste out of their mouths quickly. Their first four hitters — Kyle Schwarber, Bohm, Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos — were 0-for-16 Tuesday with nine strikeouts.