Set to get stronger, bullpen hurts Phillies in series finale loss to White Sox

Following five innings of two-run ball from starter Taijuan Walker, it was on the Phillies’ bullpen – a unit set to get stronger with the blockbuster acquisition of right-hander Jhoan Durán from the Twins – to help their club win a ballgame and a series on Thursday evening. They failed to do so.

Following a near four-hour rain delay, the Phillies lost their series finale in Chicago to the White Sox 9-3, resulting in a series loss to one of baseball’s lesser teams.

Things started well for the road team’s bullpen. Tanner Banks pitched a scoreless sixth inning. But the wheels fell off an inning later.

With the game tied 2-2, Max Lazar was on the mound for the Phillies to start the bottom of the seventh. He recorded just one out and was eventually charged for six runs on seven hits. Lazar gave up a go-ahead single to Lenyn Sosa three batters into the inning. He went on to surrender a three-run home run to Miguel Vargas, allowing the White Sox to distance themselves from the Phillies by a score of 6-2.

Lazar, who had put a series of strong outings together prior to Thursday, allowed back-to-back singles following Vargas’ three-run shot before manager Rob Thomson pulled him from the game in favor of fellow right-hander Seth Johnson.

Johnson struck out the first batter he faced in Colson Montgomery. But Johnson hung a 1-2 splitter to the next batter, catcher Edgar Quero. The left-handed hitter sent Johnson’s hanger over the left-field wall for Chicago’s second three-run home run of the inning, making it a 9-2 contest.

Altogether, the White Sox sent 10 hitters to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, scoring seven runs on eight hits.

White Sox bulk reliever Mike Vasil held the Phillies lineup quiet. Vasil entered the game with one out in the fourth and a pair of runners on. He gave up a go-ahead single to Otto Kemp immediately, but that’s all the offense he allowed. Vasil set down 11 straight hitters following Kemp’s single. His day was done after four innings of three-hit ball.

The Phillies fought in the eighth and ninth innings. But Bryce Harper was seemingly robbed of a three-run home run by Andrew Benintendi to end the top of the eighth, and Rafael Marchán popped out with runners on first and second to end the game.