Phillies' bullpen unravels in 9-3 loss to White Sox in rain-delayed series finale

Lochlahn March, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Jul 30, 2025

Published in Baseball

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CHICAGO — While their front office was busy on the suite level at Rate Field acquiring closer Jhoan Durán from the Twins, the Phillies’ need for relief reinforcements was on clear display a few feet below.

Following a rain delay that lasted over three and a half hours, a bullpen implosion in the seventh inning doomed the Phillies in a 9-3 loss against the White Sox. Chicago, currently last place in the American League Central, secured the series victory.

Max Lazar took the ball in a tie game in the seventh, but seven straight hits — five singles, a double and a three-run home run — quickly turned it into a rout for Chicago. The only out Lazar recorded before being replaced by Seth Johnson was due to an outfield assist from Johan Rojas, who gunned down Josh Rojas at the plate.

Johnson ultimately got out of the inning, but not before also giving up a three-run home run to Edgar Quero. It was Chicago’s fourth homer of the game, after also bashing a pair of solo homers off starter Taijuan Walker, who pitched five innings.

Four consecutive hits in the fourth scored the Phillies’ only two runs until Brandon Marsh homered in the ninth.

Bryce Harper came about a foot away from putting a bigger dent in Chicago’s lead in the eighth, but Andrew Benintendi jumped up the right-field wall to haul back what would have been a three-run shot.

Max Kepler was scratched from the lineup just before game time with a left triceps strain.