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Josh Bell went 1 for 4 with a homerun (just his second on the right side this season) on a 99 MPH 2-2 lead from Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Jos Alvarado on Saturday afternoon. But it was a first-base mistake (his first this season) that the 28-year-old still pondered as he spoke with reporters on a Zoom call after what ended in a 5- loss. 2 at Citizens Bank Park.
The error, on a Jean Segura field first, gave the Phillies their first base runner against Washington Nationals starter Joe Ross, who had struck out the top ten hitters he faced at that time, and a RAP, an RBI single and a triple home run followed, as things moved away for Ross, who then relocated and gave the club two more innings.
Obviously you want to make mistakes when you have 15 points, Bell said after the game. I knew I was probably going to make a mistake at one point or another, but it was just hard to watch what was going on and know what Joe had done before the mistake, it definitely stank. I’m on first base like, please, double floor play here. Double ground ball game. It did not work. It was just bad luck, but thankful for another baseball game tomorrow.
Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
Bell had clearly given the play a lot of thought and another look, as he had a detailed explanation of what he had done wrong.
[Segura] stayed very well inside the ball, he had this slice. The ball kinda ate me up, but come to think of it, it’s just a footwork, he said.
I took a fall step with my right foot and had a split second to reopen with my left foot and I didn’t. And that’s what cost me there. So looking forward to the future, just keep your feet moving and try to keep the ball in front of me as best I can. Just to give me a chance to do this piece, but it just didn’t work out.
It didn’t work out for the Nationals either, as the club struggled to produce at home again, recording just four hits in total and going 0 for 8 with runners in goal position and 10 left on. goals in defeat.
Bell, who finished the day with a .216 / .275 / .418 line, seven doubles and eight homers in 45 games and 167 AP this season (although he picked it up, with a .269 / .321 /. 490 lines in 31 games and 112 AP since May 1), have blamed a lot for what is wrong with the Nationals offense as a whole right now.
I just feel like hitting is contagious, Bell said. I know I’m not a .200 low hitter. I think if I can go on my own [Juan] Soto is going to see better shots, and you’ve seen what happens when he sees good shots to hit. There will be more runners on the base. I would love to be second base all the time to [Kyle] Schwarber. I think it’s great at batting to have a round in the lead, I get that double and then our offense can work from there, but mostly I think I’m in the middle of the roster, if I play better, I was going to score runs. So that’s what it’s going to come down to and I’m up for the challenge.
National skipper Davey Martinez told reporters ahead of the Phillies series final on Sunday that he doesn’t want his players to take it all on themselves and push to try and get things done.
Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
I think [Bell] just wants to help the team win, you know … and I know yesterday was a frustrating day for him, but we realized yesterday was his first mistake of the year, Martinez said.
So he’s been really, really amazing there, and he picked it up, but when a team isn’t scoring, everyone has a tendency to want to do more, and I keep telling them, I told them, hey, don’t try to be the guy, just be a guy, and do what you can do, the rest of the team gotta do what they do. So everyone just be yourselves, you’re all good players, you’re all good hitters, and just as we start to start good things are going to happen, but the minute you start to think at you gotta do more sometimes more is less so I don’t want him to really feel like he needs to do more just keep getting good at batting and when he gets a shot to hit, I just want him to go over there and take a good hit and hit hard.
Yes, Bell and Schwarber (.229 / .318 / .429, eight doubles, nine HR in 47 G, 198 PA after a 0 for 3, BB Saturday) were brought in to provide pop and protection for Soto in the middle of the roster, but like Martinez said, it’s not about one or two players, but the roster as a whole to get things done.
Everyone has to do their job, he said. We bring the guys to the base, just try to hit the ball hard, put the ball in play and get to the base for the next guy. We’re always talking about anything, if the guy launches around, accepts your rides, and the next guy has to do his job. I don’t want these guys to think they all have to go up there when they have a guy on base and be that guy, be the guy. Like I said, be a guy. I try to explain to them that when the guys are at the base, the pressure is on the pitcher. So relax and just try to hit the ball hard. I mean, you’re all here because you can hit and you know how to play, so relax and remember the pressure is on the pitcher and just try to get a good pitch.
Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
Bell got a good but tough pitch late in the game, when he hit the Alvarados 99 MPH radiator, logging in for just the left-hander’s second home run this season, and the first by a right-handed hitter, and he said the error was definitely on his mind while he was on the plate.
Obviously you want to win the game, Bell said. I think as the game progresses you are just trying to fight for opportunities to score points and come back into this game. And, yeah, it’s on everyone’s mind, I think, when you make a mistake, especially a costly mistake like that, you really want to win the game at the end of the day. It is so hard.
But it didn’t work for us and it definitely stinks, but hopefully I can move on and get back on track tomorrow.
Bell went 1 for 4 with a walk and two Ks on Sunday in the Nationals’ 12-6 loss in the final to the Phillies.
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