What we learned as Garcia's rough outing helps Phillies avoid sweep

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PHILADELPHIA -- In search of their first sweep in Philadelphia in 18 years, the Giants watched one of their best relievers have one of his worst days in orange and black. 

The Phillies rallied in an unexpected way, getting to Jarlin Garcia, who had been Gabe Kapler's most effective reliever this season. Garcia allowed a pair of homers in the bottom of the sixth and this time the Phillies' bullpen held on for a 6-5 win. 

The Giants trailed 2-0 heading into the sixth and had nothing going against Aaron Nola, but the game got wild over the next 25 minutes. 

Two doubles and a single got the Giants on the board, and Wilmer Flores skied a three-run shot to left that gave them five runs in what felt like a matter of seconds. Flores' sixth homer stunned Nola and the crowd at Citizens Bank Park, but the Phillies bounced right back.

Kapler turned to Garcia, who had not allowed a run this season, in the bottom of the sixth. Garcia gave up two-run homers to Nick Maton and Kyle Schwarber and the Giants found themselves down by a run just as quickly as they had gotten the lead.

Finishing Flourish

The final line for Carlos Rodón -- five innings, six hits, two runs (one earned), one walk, six strikeouts -- doesn't jump off the page, but he looked like the April version of himself after some shakier outings, and he certainly dominated in his final frame. 

With the Giants trailing by a pair, Rodón faced the heart of the order in the fifth and struck out Rhys Hoskins, Nick Castellanos and Alec Bohm, with J.T. Realmuto stranded on second after a double. Rodón got nine swinging strikes in the inning and pumped his fastball up to 99 mph. Eight of the nine swinging strikes came on his four-seamer, which is incredibly impressive against those types of hitters. 

End of the Streak

Garcia had not allowed an earned run since Sept. 22 of last season, but the streak ended in an unexpected fashion, with two left-handed hitters taking the left-handed pitcher deep. Lefties had been just 1-for-19 against Garcia up to that point, but all four hits he allowed in the sixth came from left-handed hitters. 

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Garcia's streak of scoreless outings to start the season reached 17, tying Joe Nathan's franchise record for the start of a year. Nathan did it in 2003. 

Yikes, Guys

The second Phillies run came on one of the ugliest defensive sequences of the year for the Giants. They twice had Odubel Herrera out to dry on the bases, but failed to get him out both times. 

Herrera walked with one out in the fourth but Rodón had him picked off. Flores' throw sailed into left field, though, and Herrera raced to third. The next batter, Johan Camargo, hit a hard grounder to third and Herrera took off for him. He should have been caught in a rundown, but third baseman Jason Vosler made his throw to the plate too quickly, allowing Herrera to turn around and safely retreat to the bag. He scored when Maton put a bunt single down. 

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