WASHINGTON (AP) — The bid by interim manager Rob Thomson and the Philadelphia Phillies to end the club’s 11-year playoff drought was hurt by a 13-4 loss to the lowly Washington Nationals in the opener of a day-night doubleheader Saturday as starter Kyle Gibson was tagged once again.
“Anytime you feel like you give one away, it’s frustrating,” said Gibson, who allowed eight hits and seven runs in six innings.
The Game 1 loss for the fading Phillies was their sixth defeat in their past seven outings.
“I don’t sense panic,” Thomson said. “I really don’t. I sense a group that really wants to get in the playoffs.”
Philadelphia began Saturday a half-game ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers for the third wild-card berth in the National League. The Brewers were scheduled to play the Miami Marlins later.
“Today was a rough day,” Thomson said after his team’s opening loss. “And we’ve got to go get ’em the second game, see what we’re made of.”
The Phillies made it to the postseason every year from 2007-11 — including winning the World Series in 2008 — but haven’t been back since that run.
Against Gibson (10-8), five consecutive batters delivered hits — and all five scored — in the second for the Nationals, owners of the worst record in the majors at 55-102.
In Gibson’s six starts in September and October, his ERA is 9.73 and Philadelphia’s record is 1-5. He has allowed at least five earned runs in three straight starts.
“Been a frustrating month,” said Gibson, adding that he’s gone over his games with his pitching coaches and catchers but they’re all “coming up empty on saying, ‘Hey, this is where (the issue) is.’”
Luke Voit, Joey Meneses and Luis García homered for Washington, which had lost its past nine games against Philadelphia….