The Phillies’ offense was late-arriving Sunday afternoon. Jean Segura hit the first pitch of the bottom of the ninth inning for a home run but it wasn’t close to enough. The Phillies suffered a 4-1 loss to the Oakland A’s in the finale of the three-game series at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phils won the first two games of the series on the strength of 10 extra base hits.
They had just two hits, and one was a bunt single, through the first eight innings Sunday.
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The A’s had nine hits, including three for extra bases.
The game time temperature was 48 degrees and the wind whipped throughout. The attendance was 33,507.
The Phils are 2-1 as they get set to host the New York Mets for three games.
MLB
Eflin’s day
Zach Eflin pitched four scoreless innings and was gone after 68 pitches. The team is monitoring his early workload after an abbreviated spring.
Eflin pitched out of a no-outs, bases-loaded jam in the third inning.
Bullpen report
Bailey Falter picked up Eflin and allowed a pair of runs in 2 1/3 innings. Damon Jones gave up a pair of runs in the ninth.
Mr. Efficiency
Right-hander Daulton Jefferies, Oakland’s first-round pick in the 2016 draft, was impressive in his third big-league start. He held the Phillies to two hits over five shutout innings.
Jefferies threw just 14 pitches through the first two innings and 48 in all before the A’s went to lefty Sam Moll in the sixth. He struck out dangerous Phillies Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, though home plate umpire Ben May helped him a little bit on Schwarber.
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The lineup
Manager Joe Girardi promised to use his whole roster early in the season, especially as the Phils come out of the gate with 13 games in 13 days.
Didi Gregorius and J.T. Realmuto did not start. Bryson Stott started at shortstop, Garrett Stubbs behind the plate and Johan Camargo at third base.
Stubbs and Camargo had the Phillies’ only two hits Sunday.
Fashion beat
The Phillies wore their red pinstripe uniforms for Sunday’s day game. They also wore them Saturday afternoon. Usually, the team wears its cream-colored uniform for day games.
MLB.com reported that the cream-colored uniforms have not yet arrived from the supplier. Also late are the light-blue throwback uniforms that the club wears at home on Thursdays. Until they arrive, the Phils will wear their classic whites at home.
Up next
The test gets a lot tougher for the Phillies on Monday night as they open a three-game series with the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park.
Here are the pitching matchups for the series:
Monday night – RHP Taijuan Walker vs. LHP Ranger Suarez
Tuesday night – RHP Tyler Megill (1-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Zack Wheeler
Wednesday afternoon – RHP Max Scherzer (1-0, 4.50) vs. RHP Aaron Nola (1-0, 6.00)