After receiving a day off from the lineup, Nick Castellanos entered the second game of the Philadelphia Phillies' road series against the Miami Marlins looking to break out of a slump. He was named to his second All-Star game this season but was terrible in July. It took until the very end of the game for a catharsis that could get him back on track.

Castellanos grounded out on his first three at-bats, one of which went for a double play. In the ninth inning, he was given a chance to make like Scooby Doo and be the superhero for the Phillies after Bryce Harper tied the game with an RBI double. On an 0-2 pitch from former Phillies reliever David Robertson, Castellanos blasted a drive into deep left field to make it a 3-1 ballgame. The Phillies held on for the huge win over one of their fellow NL Wild Card race contestants.

Castellanos' 401-foot home run was his first extra-base hit since July 19. It marked the Phillies' 26th comeback win of the year and gave them a little more breathing room ahead of the Marlins in the standings. In a postgame interview on SportsRadio 94 WIP, he talked about his struggles and how his approach to hitting.

“Fantastic,” Castellanos said when asked how his home-run swing felt. “For the obvious reasons that it put us ahead in the game, but for personal reasons because, man, did I need that.”

The Phillies outfielder said that the slump was “a big learning experience” and that he let his preparation slip a bit. He said that the pressure is heightened in Philadelphia, explaining that he wants to focus on “having the same mindset, sticking with the works and letting the game come to you.”

Castellanos quickly figured out the intense blend of pressure and passion that comes with being an athlete in Philly. He definitely feels it as he tries to help the Phillies secure a playoff berth. The Phillies not only hope but expect that Castellanos, who had a .842 OPS through the end of June, will turn things around. They decided not to acquire any other outfield bats at the trade deadline because they believe in the guys that they have.

In his postgame interview, Nick Castellanos explained that he sometimes gets a little bit too ahead of himself when trying to hit. Exercising a little more patience and discipline could get him back to playing at an All-Star level.