Enthusiasm was palpable among Philadelphia devotees as Thursday approached. Following an impactful triumph, the Phillies had the opportunity to host the NLDS finale back in Philadelphia for a decisive Game 5. The Eagles aimed to eradicate the unpleasant memory of their defeat to the Broncos from their recent game, facing the Giants, a team with a 1-4 record that they had consistently outperformed over the last decade. The Flyers had a chance to inaugurate their new season successfully against the reigning-champion Panthers, who were missing a couple of prominent athletes.
Unfortunately, not so. The Phillies, Eagles, and Flyers all experienced losses on the same day, an occurrence that has only happened once before, as noted by Bob Vetrone Jr. The previous instance was on Oct. 16, 1983, almost 42 years ago. This marked only the eighth occasion where all three teams competed on the same day.
The Phillies’ 2-1 defeat against the Dodgers in 11 innings was arguably the most disheartening, considering the circumstances — the team’s season is now over — and particularly due to the manner in which it concluded. Phillies relief pitcher Orion Kerkering mishandled a comeback hit from Andy Pages, gathered the ball, and instead of throwing to first to conclude the inning, he threw the ball away in an attempt to force Hyeseong Kim at home plate with the bases loaded and two outs.
Look away, Phillies supporters.
One can even observe catcher J.T. Realmuto directing attention towards first base.
“I wouldn’t attribute it to pressure, I simply believed it was a quicker throw to [Realmuto] than attempting to crossbody it to [first baseman Bryce Harper]. It was just a terrible throw,” Kerkering expressed.
“This is genuinely awful right now,” Kerkering mentioned subsequently, “but hopefully we’ll persist, overcome this obstacle.”
Phillies’ Orion Kerkering comments after season-ending error vs. Dodgers: ‘Genuinely awful right now’
R.J. Anderson
This sets the stage for an offseason filled with substantial inquiries.
The circumstances aren’t as severe for the Eagles, but they aren’t favorable either, following a 34-17 defeat, their second in a five-day span after commencing with a 4-0 record. Philadelphia failed to score in the second half, with the offense faltering late for the second consecutive game. However, the defense, missing Jalen Carter (heel) and losing Quinyon Mitchell (hamstring) during the game was equally deficient. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart and rookie running back Cam Skattebo thoroughly penetrated the unit just four days after New York committed five turnovers in a loss to the Saints.
The Eagles’ dominance in the trenches has diminished, the offense seems disorganized, and the defense is inadequately staffed.
The Flyers were defeated 2-1, disrupting Rick Tocchet’s inaugural coaching game. Anton Lundell initiated the scoring for Florida before Noah Cates responded, tying the game late in the second period. Ultimately, this proved futile as Brad Marchand secured a third-period victory.
The Phillies are facing a lengthy and challenging offseason. The Eagles and Flyers are hoping that these defeats do not indicate similarly lengthy and challenging seasons ahead.
