Dodgers’ Evan Phillips Unpacks What Went Wrong in Blown Save Against Tigers
Reliever Evan Phillips gave up two of the five total earned runs the Los Angeles Dodgers allowed to the Detroit Tigers in the bottom of the ninth inning on Saturday. The Dodgers held a 9-4 five-run lead over the Tigers heading into the bottom of the ninth inning.
Ricky Vanasco came in for the Dodgers to start the ninth inning but gave up three earned runs right away with zero outs, and was taken out of the game. Phillips came in for Vanasco to hold off the Tigers, who were trailing by just two runs at that point.
He initially appeared to have done a good job but then allowed two earned runs as the Tigers tied up the game before winning it in extra innings.
“I initially came in and did a good job of managing that momentum [from the Tigers],” Phillips said, via SportsNet LA. “I think I did a good job of getting those outs relatively quickly and keeping that runner on base. I made a couple of bad pitches back-to-back, I feel like I went to my strengths and maybe could have executed a bit better. At the end of the day I’m going to trust what I do the most, and maybe it’s time to look at doing something else to keep those guys honest if they’re going to expect what I’m anticipating on throwing. Frustrating to get beat on what you feel like is your best stuff. Certainly wish I would have finished the game.”
The blown save was certainly out of character for Phillips, who had not allowed two or more earned runs in an appearance throughout the entire season. Instead, Phillips notched his second blown save of the year in what could have been a heroic ninth-inning performance. He now has a 2.73 ERA and 14 saves on the year.
The Dodgers have since sent Vanasco down to Triple-A and activated Brent Honeywell, which will ideally keep Phillips from entering the game again in a tough position.
Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
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Phillips has been one of the few consistent lights in the bullpen this year. So he had an unexpected performance… Cut him some slack, he’s earned his stripes as opposed to some others who have been anything but reliable. Maybe if he was surrounded with better team mates he wouldn’t have to pitch every game like the fate of the world was on the line every time… Huddy, and Vesia can’t pitch every day. But when the starters barely go 5 innings most of the time, what do you do? Friedman and Gomes should have acted sooner to plug the holes in the bullpen. The trade deadline is approaching. Are we going to sit on our hands some more or get down to business. And I don’t mean by scanning the waiver wire!
Excuse me, but I do want Phillips in the tough spot, he’s the best they’ve got in the bullpen. Maybe a different pitch is the key.
Agree that Phillips along with Treinen and Vesia are the best we’ve got right now even though all three have faltered recently. The Phila/Detroit series were hard to watch. That said, we’ve also got a problem in that we wont go very far in the playoffs if we’re depending on CT3, Kiki, Outman, Vargas and Lux to turn the lineup over! We’ve been here before and let’s face it, Kershaw’s ability to be effective on return is unknown, Kelly is suspect, May is done for the year, maybe Yamamoto too, Buehler is an unknown quantity and Graterol and Muncy may not be coming back at all. Mookie and Glasnow cant save us and both may not hit the ground running on returning. I dont have a lot of faith in JHey being effective on his return either. I love all these guys but we are not in a good place right now that goes well beyond pitching.
Well said a house of the same cards
And Philly really showed how far an above they are to the Dodgers.
Even with Mookie out Bryce Harper’s not 100 % yet thier starting catcher is out and Philly
Pitching made the Dodgers hitters look silly and when it counted Dodger pitching falterd