It was clearly all Joe Girardi’s fault.
The once-scuffling Phillies have reignited their season with four straight wins since firing Girardi on Friday. The previous two victories have come in a most improbable fashion.
On Sunday, they rallied from a 6-2 deficit to win on a Bryson Stott walkoff home run against the Angels. It was a game that coincidentally helped push Los Angeles — in the midst of a 13-game losing streak — into firing Joe Maddon on Tuesday afternoon.
Afterwards, it appeared Bryce Harper took a little dig at Girardi, who has been replaced by Rob Thomson.
“I’m so happy for [Stott], man,” Harper told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “What an at-bat. What a situation for him. Being able to put our trust in our young guys the last couple days, and really let them just play…it’s been great. And it paid off today.”
It’s not hard to connect the dots on what exactly had changed in “the last couple of days” for Harper.
The Phillies continued their success in an even more implausible way on Tuesday night.
Alec Bohm and Matt Vierling homered off Brewers closer Josh Hader in the ninth inning for a stunning 3-2 victory in Milwaukee. Hader had not allowed a run or blown a save all season before that appearance.
“It’s definitely a whirlwind,” Vierling said. “I came into the dugout and everybody was so fired up.”
The win improved the Phillies and their $230 million payroll to 26-29 and 3 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot.
“We believe this is a good club and the pieces are here to win games,” Thomson said. “Maybe we’re getting on a roll.”
— With AP
