PITTSBURGH -- The Phillies had the bases loaded in the third inning Saturday. They were stealing bases left and right off rookie pitcher Tyler Glasnow. It was a tie game. All that was left on the to-do list was to cross home plate a few times more.
But a popout by Cody Asche and a groundout by Freddy Galvis would eventually come back to haunt them in a 7-4 loss to the Pirates at PNC Park, as would many other missed opportunities. Philadelphia pulled ahead by run in the top of the fifth, but couldn't muster up enough offense to overcome a five-run response by the Pirates, despite five stolen bases off Glasnow and Bucs catcher Francisco Cervelli through three-plus innings.
"The guy was slow to the plate, and we took advantage of it," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We stole five bases, still couldn't get any. The third inning haunted us."
Odúbel Herrera and César Hernández each stole two bases off Glasnow, with Galvis stealing one in the second inning. Though the Phillies were able to move around the bases, they also stranded 14.
For a team that ranks 15th in the Majors in stolen bases with 48, five stolen bases in one game is a definite outlier. The rhythm became the silver lining of a tough loss.
"It's nothing in particular, really, but we just take a look at the pitcher," Herrera said through translator Diego Ettedgui. "So it depends on the situation, depends on the pitcher. But when we see we can take advantage of it, we really try to do that."