Jesús deserved better after Easter Sunday gem versus former team

PHILADELPHIA — Facing his former team on Easter Sunday, Jesús Luzardo rose to the occasion. He pitched seven innings for the second time this year, striking out seven and allowing two runs (one earned). He left the game with his pitch count at 88 and his team ahead by two runs. The Phillies (13-9) lost 7-5 in 10 innings.

Against an aggressive Miami Marlins lineup, Luzardo attacked in the zone. He threw 11 pitches or fewer in four of his seven innings. Through the first two times through the order, Marlins hitters swung at 10 of 18 first pitches. 

Luzardo was frustrated after going only 5 1/3 in his last outing against the Giants. He left Sunday’s game feeling a bit more satisfied with his performance. 

“I felt like this one was better in terms of getting in the zone,” Luzardo said. “Staying away from the walks and trying to get early contact, which is what I think every starter wants to do. I think we were able to achieve that today.”

He entered the seventh inning at 67 pitches. He did not have a three-ball count until he was called for an automatic ball against Javier Sanoja in the top of the seventh. He completed his pitching motion without releasing the ball because his foot got stuck on the mound. That was probably the most uncomfortable moment of the afternoon for Rob Thomson, who came running out of the dugout with an athletic trainer. Luzardo smiled. 

“It scared me, I can tell you that,” Thomson said. 

There was a path for Luzardo to pitch into the eighth – and set up the bullpen for a big series against the Mets in New York. But sloppy defense in the seventh forced Luzardo to throw a few more pitches. Bryce Harper couldn’t snag a ground ball that turned into a double by Matt Mervis. Luzardo bounced back with a one-pitch flyout and a great throw-in from Johan Rojas in center field that prevented the runners on second and third from tagging up. On his 82nd pitch, Luzardo got Xavier Edwards to hit a ground ball to second. Bryson Stott misplayed the ball on the backhand and a run scored. Luzardo needed to throw six more pitches to get the next batter Eric Wagaman down on strikes. 

If the Phillies had a clean inning on defense, Luzardo probably would have gone back out for the eighth, Thomson said.

“There’s still the health issue for the player,” Thomson said about Luzardo, who dealt with a back injury that prematurely ended his 2024 season. “He ended up with 88 pitches, 21 in that inning. That was the most he had thrown in any inning, and he had to grind through it. It looked like he emptied the tank for me.” 

Instead, Orion Kerkering gave up a three-run home run to the rookie Sanoja to give Miami the lead. Matt Strahm gave up two runs in the top of the tenth. The Phillies had two chances to drive in the winning run from second in the ninth, but Kyle Schwarber popped up and Nick Castellanos flew out to end the inning. Max Kepler, Alec Bohm and Cal Stevenson went down 1-2-3 with the runner placed on second base.

“This one is gone,” Thomson said. “It’s in the past.”

But there is a trickle-down effect. José Alvarado had to be used in the ninth inning in a non-save situation. Both Alvarado and Strahm are likely unavailable for Monday’s series opener against the New York Mets after pitching on back-to-back days. Alvarado had no business being in Saturday’s game after Jordan Romano came into the ninth with a seven-run lead. A lack of execution across the board adds up.

But at least Luzardo is off to an incredible start. Through five outings, he has a 2.08 ERA. As Tim Kelly of On Pattison pointed out, Luzardo leapfrogged Paul Skenes for the National League lead in FanGraphs WAR among pitchers (1.3). 

It’s the first time the Phillies have lost a game while leading after seven innings since Game 1 of the 2024 NLDS against the New York Mets. It doesn’t happen often, but wasted gems hurt the most. 

“You just got to shake yourself off and go get them tomorrow,” Thomson said.