As Jedd Gyorko kept getting deeper and deeper into his at-bat with Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez, the tension was building.
The power-hitting righty had already launched a ball foul with home-run distance.
After fouling off four pitches, Gyorko unloaded on the eighth pitch of the at-bat, a changeup that landed in the seats in left field. The two-run home run tied the game at three. It was Gomez’s first blown save since July 18.
And it set the stage for Randal Grichuk's heroics in St. Louis' 4-3 win.
Grichuk pounded a 1-1 fastball from Frank Herrmann way over the head of Odubel Herrera in centerfield. The RBI double scored Jhonny Peralta easily from second base.
The Phillies got a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the 10th, but Herrera grounded out to first to end the game.
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Gyorko's home run spoiled what would've been Adam Morgan’s first win since May 10.
The Phillies had taken the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright wasn’t feeling comfortable with the wet mound. After throwing a first-pitch ball to Herrera to lead off the sixth inning, Wainwright motioned the grounds crew to come work on the mound.
Perhaps the home crew sprinkled some magic.
Herrera and Freddy Galvis promptly hit back-to-back home runs to break a tie and give the Phillies a 3-1 lead.
But their efforts were for naught.
Starting pitching report
Phillies manager Pete Mackanin was pretty candid about Morgan prior to Friday’s game. He was asked if this was sort of a “last chance” type situation for Morgan, who has been struggling all season.
“He has to start doing something,” Mackanin said. “1-7 with a 6 ERA is not good. I think he’s better than that but he has to start showing it. It’s cut and dry.”
After a shaky, 20-pitch first inning, Morgan settled in during the middle frames, got through a fourth inning in which St. Louis hit three very hard outs, and did more than enough to win.
Morgan allowed one run on five hits, walking a pair while striking out three in six-plus innings of work.
His night ended when Gyorko led off the seventh inning with a single on Morgan’s 91st pitch. The streak is now 21 straight games a Phillies starter has failed to go a full seven innings.
Bullpen report
Edubray Ramos relieved Morgan and retired the Cardinals quickly, inducing a pop-out in foul territory, a lazy fly ball to left field and a ground out to Ryan Howard at first base.
That set up the bridge to Hector Neris and Gomez.
Neris threw a 1-2-3 eighth inning before giving way to Gomez.
Herrmann threw 26 pitches but narrowly escaped the 10th inning when Yadier Molina’s line drive with a runner in scoring position was snared in center by Herrera.
Michael Mariot replaced Herrmann after Grichuk's double and got the Phillies out of the inning without further trouble.
At the plate
The Phillies jumped on Wainwright in the bottom of the first inning. Herrera led off with a single and was quickly around the bases on Galvis’ RBI double.
The two, of course, later contributed the go-ahead homers in the sixth inning.
The 1-2 punch up top had an opportunity to extend the Phillies’ lead in the bottom of the seventh. With one out and the bases loaded, St. Louis reliever Zach Duke was able to strike both out to get out of trouble.
Tommy Joseph, pinch-hitting for Howard in the bottom of the eighth, hit what appeared to be a one-out double to move Maikel Franco to third base. But the Cardinals challenged the play at second base and - after a review of 2:30 - Joseph was ruled out.
Carlos Ruiz then struck out to end the inning.
The Phillies threatened in their half of the ninth but Galvis - with two runners on - lined weakly to Matt Carpenter at first base to end the inning.
Eflin surgery, roster move
The Phillies announced prior to Friday night’s game that RHP Zach Eflin’s season was over after successful right knee surgery Friday in Philadelphia (see story).
Eflin was transferred to the 60-day DL to make room on the 40-man roster for IF/OF Emmanuel Burriss, who was recalled Friday when the Phillies optioned Taylor Featherston to Lehigh Valley.
Burriss batted eighth and started at second base while Cesar Hernandez (foot) sat for the second straight game. Burriss was 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout. Hernandez appeared as a pinch hitter in the 9th and lined out.
Up next
The three-game series continues Saturday night (7:05 p.m.) with Jeremy Hellickson (9-7, 3.65 ERA) making his return to the mound to take on RHP Luke Weaver (0-0, 4.50).
Vince Velasquez starts Sunday against St. Louis righty Mike Leake.
