NEW YORK (AP) - Jake Thompson won’t pitch again for the Phillies this season. Based on Sunday’s 17-0 implosion at the New York Mets, it appears Philadelphia’s bullpen already went home for the winter.
Among players acquired in last year’s trade that sent Cole Hamels to Texas, Thompson (3-6) allowed three runs and five hits in four innings.
“He’s got 40-plus innings more than last year,” manager Pete Mackanin said. “For a 22-year old pitcher, first time in the big leagues, he’s made a good impression. He’s got a ways to go with command of his pitches, but he’s got enough stuff to be successful.”
Thompson had a 5.70 ERA in 10 starts following his major league debut on Aug. 6 after going 11-5 in 21 starts at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
“Got to get ahead and you have to be able to spin the ball for strikes, show them you’re able to do that,” he said. “Expand with it when you need to, but more than anything, get ahead and as a starter, you have to consistently pound the zone.”
All five relievers gave up runs, getting pounded until tender like beef on a butcher’s block: Phil Klein (three runs), Colton Murray (three), Frank Herrmann (two), Patrick Schuster (five) and Luis Garcia (one).
“Some of our back-end guys were down,” said Herrmann, who gave up Asdrubal Cabrera’s seventh-inning grand slam. “I don’t know if we matched their intensity in the moment as well as they did.”
Philadelphia’s bullpen allowed 28 runs - 27 earned - over 17 innings in the four-game series.
“Pretty embarrassing game today,” Mackanin said.
Philadelphia’s margin of defeat was its worst since a 22-3 loss to Cincinnati in 1999.
Jose Reyes drove had four RBIs with two-run double and a pair of bases-loaded loaded walks, and Curtis Granderson reached 30 home runs for the first time since 2012. New York batted with the bases loaded 11 times in 50 plate appearance, and Reyes came up with the bases full four straight times.
Robert Gsellman (3-2) allowed three hits over seven innings, and New York’s bullpen didn’t give up any.
In all, the Phillies walked nine, hit four batters and threw three wild pitches.
“I think it was just a bad series,” Herrmann said. “They’re playing for something. We kind of ran into a little bit of a buzzsaw.”
FLAILING
Philadelphia’s Roman Quinn struck out in the eighth and has whiffed in his last six at-bats.
UP NEXT
Phillies: After an off day, RHP Jered Eickhoff (11-14) pitches Tuesday at Atlanta.
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