The Phillies took a 2-0 lead into the top of the 9th, turned the game over to their usually reliable closer, watched him blow it, then lost in extra innings by a 3-2 score to the visiting Miami Marlins.
The opener of a four game series at Citizens Bank Park turned out to be a fantastic pitching duel between the power of Marlins’ starter Jose Fernandez and the precision of Phillies’ righty Aaron Nola.
Fernandez struck out 14 batters, walked two, and allowed just four hits over 6.1 innings. He was undone by what happens to most pitchers in high strikeout games these days – pitch count.