GDT 8/23/23 San Francisco Giants (Cobb) @ Philadelphia Phillies (Lorenzen)

[bkox]

Home team winning percentage since the implementation of the ghost runner:

Games that are nine innings or less - .540.

Games that go into fake extra innings - .495.

A 8.34% swing for the visitor.

Ruining my game. https://t.co/6J45ZyeZeB

— Ryan M. Spaeder ( @theaceofspaeder ) August 24, 2023

[Philsmania]

Great comeback by the Phillies make this one tough to lose.

Far too many swings at pitches not close to being strikes.

Not a good day for Kimbrel.

But the Phillies win the series and that was my goal for them going into these three games with the Giants.

I hate closers being put into tie games. Hate it, hate it, hate it. But, mangers do it time and time again because that's what the book says.

[LoneStarPhan]

I was never a fan of the closer coming in to pitch the ninth or later inning of a tie game either, but have come to accept that it is the way almost all managers do it. Had Kimbrel pitched a scoreless tenth today, he may well have gotten another win.

Regardless, it wasn't his day. It happens. Sadly, the great come back and the ninth inning home run from Harper to tie the game was for naught. Still I am encouraged that this team can and often does fight back.

And winning the series is a good thing. Let's win the next two series at home to close out August.

[zambonir]

If only Thomson hadn't decided to have a closer this year

[Philsmania]

I am concerned about Lorenzen. I hope that 121 pitch no-hitter won't throw him off the rails for the rest of this season like Randy Wolf's 133 pitch shutout wrecked him for the rest of 2003.

[zambonir]

We'll never know if that was really the reason. He could have thrown 80 pitches that night and he still would have been a guy in just his second year as a starter who we bought at peak after he'd already thrown more innings than he ever has in his career (97 in 18 starts last year, he had 105 and 18 starts when we got him).

But the above also would have been a very good reason not to push him in that no-hitter.

I don't think Lorenzen was ever supposed to start a playoff game for the Phillies, we were just very quick to say he was our second or third-best starter after his arrival, especially because people have been so down on Nola. And of course since then Walker missed a start and Ranger went on the IL. They need both of those guys back strong and then Lorenzen and Ranger will be guys who can both pitch in relief or anchor a tandem/bullpen game.

[Callison]

With 2 out, walking Meckler, then a sub-Mendoza hitter, then serving up a homer to DeJong is discouraging. (DeJong went on to have the game of his career.) I mean real discouraging. That no-hitter cost Lorenzen and the Phils. We've seen how good and how bad he can be - hopefully settles on the good side next outing, but every Phils fan will be watching and hoping. Right now we got no clue what we got.

OTOH, that Harper homer - storybook. Maybe he's getting his power back.

Too bad for Kimbrel, about the steadiest player on the team, this had to be the day when two AS closers wouldn't win.

There was a deciding, perfect Giant lob hit just inside the LF foul line. But Schwarbs was out there to field it and I wonder if a faster and therefore better placed OF mighta got it... cause I'm a homer. Easier to accept if it's a perfect hit... they nearly pulled it outta the fire... great baseball... they won't have to face the wrath of DeJong next game...

[julio]