A chance to close the gap

After splitting four with the NL East-leading Braves, including a walk-off Monday, the Phillies just had to hold serve against Houston before a rematch in Atlanta.

Three rallies, one win

They came from behind in all three games and still lost the series. A cold offense and sloppy base running ate the margin every time.

Cam Smith ends it

Thursday's 2-1 loss turned on a 421-foot shot off Jhoan Duran in the ninth. It was Smith's third homer of the series, one in each game.

Four back, 12 to play

Atlanta lost two of three in Tampa and the Phillies still gained nothing. They head south trailing by 4.0 games with the season series wrapping Sunday.

Marsh's double, then trouble

Tuesday the Phils clawed back from 5-0 and 6-3. Brandon Marsh doubled home Alec Bohm in the seventh to make it 6-4, with Bryson Stott on third and nobody out.

Caught too far off second

J.T. Realmuto lined hard to shortstop and Marsh, drifting off the bag, was doubled off. A strikeout followed and the rally was gone.

Sosa's near-miss off Hader

In the ninth, Stott singled and Edmundo Sosa crushed one off Josh Hader that missed clearing the right-field wall by inches.

Out of the box too slow

Sosa jogged out of the box and stopped at second. On third with no outs he scores easily on either of the next two fly balls and ties it. Instead, 6-5 final.

No excuse

Marsh took the blame directly after the game. The candor was fine; the play was not, and these lapses have followed this team for years.

“There's really no excuse. Just a really bad play on my part.”

A promise, then a repeat

Sosa vowed it would not happen again, speaking through team translator Diego D'Aniello. Manager Don Mattingly addressed both players. It did not take.

“Not running at full speed there is something that won't happen again.”

Bohm runs into an out

Thursday, Luis Arraez scored to tie it 1-1, then Bohm tried for third from second with nobody out and was thrown out easily. Marsh grounded into a double play behind him.

Houston blundered too

The Astros made the identical mistake in the eighth of the same 1-1 game. They won anyway, which is roughly how the week went.

Wheeler's third straight

Zack Wheeler gave up one run on five hits and two walks over 7.0 innings, striking out nine on 108 pitches. That follows strong starts against the Angels and Braves.

Bases loaded, no hook

Houston filled the bases with two out in the seventh of a 1-1 game. With Alex McFarlane warming, the Phillies stuck with Wheeler, who froze Yanner Diaz on a 2-2 sweeper.

Back in form on film

Wheeler posted an 8.38 ERA over 19.1 August innings before studying his own biomechanics on video. Three clean starts later, he looks like himself with October close.

Wednesday's comeback

Down 6-5 in the sixth: Arraez doubled, Christian Walker booted a routine grounder, Sosa singled in the tying run, and Justin Crawford beat out an infield hit to load them up.

Schwarber empties the bases

Bryan De La Cruz drew a four-pitch walk, then Kyle Schwarber hit a grand slam that shook Citizens Bank Park. It was his fourth homer in five games.

Sánchez and Turner, trending apart

Cris Sánchez carries a 4.56 ERA over his last four starts and gave up six runs on 10 hits Wednesday. Trea Turner ran a six-game hit streak, slashing .320/.346/.720.