Phillies Extend Losing Streak To Nine Games At Citi Field

The Philadelphia Phillies continue to struggle at Citi Field, suffering their eighth consecutive loss in Queens, including postseason games, with a recent 13-3 defeat to the New York Mets. Despite an early 3-0 lead and strong pitching from Cristopher Sánchez in the first three innings, the Phillies unraveled in the fourth, highlighted by Sánchez slipping and balking, which led to a cascade of Mets runs. The Phillies' difficulties are compounded by unusual distractions, such as a parabolic microphone disrupting batter Alec Bohm's view, and suspicions about the Mets possibly exploiting pitchers' tells, contributing to a sense of paranoia and frustration within the Phillies organization. Errors, misplays, and ineffective relief pitching further exacerbated the Phillies' collapse, as they failed to score after the fourth inning. While the Phillies maintain a comfortable lead in the National League East, their ongoing woes at Citi Field have shifted momentum toward the Mets and raised questions about the psychological and tactical challenges the team faces in this venue. Manager Rob Thomson acknowledged the need to move past the loss and prepare for upcoming games despite the growing Citi Field curse.