It was significant news that the Phillies lost their home game on Wednesday afternoon since they would have won 12 straight at home if they had defeated the Blue Jays. Because of how the previous season ended, they still entered that game with the best record in baseball, were ahead of the Braves in the NL East, and appeared to have as much to prove as any other club in the league.
Then, nearly every player in Thomson’s batting order abruptly quit hitting. There was no Series trip for the Phillies. They remained at home. heated Arizona up. After an 8-8 start, they went on to win 18-4, and as a result, they responded by playing at the end of the spring like they did at the conclusion of the previous two baseball summers, when they put their slow beginnings behind them and started grueling their way into the postseason.
