For two weeks, Jhoan Duran looked untouchable in a Phillies uniform. His triple-digit heat and wipeout splitter had silenced opponents, converting his first six save chances without so much as a runner in scoring position. But on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park, the Washington Nationals showed even the most dominant closers are human.
Duran surrendered a ninth-inning rally that turned a one-run Philadelphia lead into a stunning 5-4 Nationals victory. After retiring Luis García Jr. on three pitches to open the frame, the Phillies’ new stopper made his first mistake. Rookie Dylan Crews turned on a 101.9 mph fastball and roped it down the right-field line for a double. One batter later, fellow rookie Daylen Lile lined a 97 mph splitter into left for the game-tying RBI.
“That’s the game, you know? Sometimes, that happens,” Duran said afterward. “Tomorrow, I’ll be ready for tomorrow.” Despite the blown save, Phillies manager Rob Thomson was quick to put the outing into perspective, invoking one of the greatest relievers of all time.
“Mariano [Rivera] had 80 of them,” Thomson said. “So it’s going to happen every once in a while.”
Phillies blow game to Nationals on Friday
Things unraveled further on the bases. Brandon Marsh’s throw home ricocheted off Crews, forcing catcher J.T. Realmuto to react awkwardly. As Lile swiped third base, Realmuto’s hurried throw soared over Alec Bohm and into left field, allowing the Nationals to take the lead.
It was a reminder that even the best closers endure setbacks. Rivera, the gold standard of the position, is remembered for his dominance — not the rare lapses. Thomson’s comparison reflected the Phillies’ continued faith in Duran, who still struck out the side Friday despite the loss.
“He still struck out the side,” Thomson noted. “There are going to be hits in there sometimes.” Indeed, Duran’s stat line underscored just how rare this stumble was. The two hits he allowed in the inning equaled the total from his first seven appearances combined. Until Crews’ double, he had not allowed an extra-base hit in a Phillies uniform.
Even Realmuto, who shouldered blame for the throwing error that plated the winning run, defended his closer. “Even after some things didn’t go his way, he still answered the bell and kept the game at one run there for us,” Realmuto said. “He was still his dominant self, it just didn’t work out tonight.”
The blown save snapped Philadelphia’s four-game win streak and trimmed their NL East lead to six games over the Mets. Still, with Duran flashing the same overpowering arsenal that made him one of baseball’s most coveted trade-deadline acquisitions, there’s little reason for panic.
For Duran, the task is simple: shake off one bad night. For the Phillies, the loss is a reminder that not even Rivera was perfect. If history is any guide, Friday’s hiccup will soon be forgotten in the bigger picture of Duran’s dominance.
