A loss was accepted sometime in the fifth inning on Thursday afternoon when the Phillies array of defensive miscues kept digging a deeper hole.
So Gabe Kapler shifted his attention to the second game of the doubleheader and turned the 24-4 loss into what he termed a “strategy game.” The Phillies used two position players – Roman Quinn and Scott Kingery – to pitch the final three innings of the blowout by the Mets. The Phillies have used position players to pitch this season, but relying on them for three innings was unusual. A blowout loss became embarrassing but Kapler said it carried a purpose.