The out-of-town scoreboard in right field had already delivered the news from Citi Field in New York: ATL 4, NYM 2. The Phillies were down to their last three outs against the Miami Marlins. Lose this one to the team with the second-most losses in the National League, and the Phillies would find themselves in second place for the first time since July 5.
“Get on base,” the voice inside Rhys Hoskins’ head told him before he went to the plate as the leadoff man for the Phillies in the bottom of the ninth. “I thought if we get the leadoff guy on base we have a good chance to at least tie it there.