In Friday night’s game against the Pirates, the Phillies were leading 6-4 in the top of the fifth inning. Kyle Nicolas was on the mound for Pittsburgh, having completed the fourth inning by getting an out, though he faced two hitters. To begin the frame, he walked Edmundo Sosa, allowed a single to Weston Wilson that moved Sosa to third, then walked Garrett Stubbs to load the bases. Nicolas was struggling with his control and Pittsburgh did have action in the bullpen in anticipation of a move happening by Rob Thomson.
The logical move to make would be to put Brandon Marsh into the game to face the right handed Nicolas with the bases loaded and nobody out, but Thomson did not budge.