Mick Abel has another solid start in Phillies’ walk-off loss to Blue Jays

TORONTO — Jordan Romano and Jeff Hoffman were both drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2014.

Their career paths diverged almost immediately afterward, as Hoffman spent the first few months injured and was traded to the Rockies within a year. About a decade later, those paths crisscrossed when Hoffman left the Phillies to sign with Toronto this winter, while Romano left Toronto to sign with the Phillies.

On Wednesday, they crisscrossed again when both pitchers were warming up in opposite bullpens at the Rogers Centre, preparing to face their former teams in the ninth inning of a tie game.

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It was Hoffman who ultimately came out on top in the 2-1 Phillies loss. He sidestepped a single from Alec Bohm to secure the final out in the top of the ninth, then Romano gave up a walk-off single to his hometown team.

“Definitely a lot of emotion coming here,” Romano said. “Got on the mound focused. I felt good. Stuff felt good. Obviously, not good enough.”

Only two pitches into Romano’s outing, catcher J.T. Realmuto took a foul ball from Bo Bichette off the groin. Realmuto doubled over in pain, and was ultimately removed for Rafael Marchán. Manager Rob Thomson said postgame that Realmuto was getting checked out by doctors, and the Phillies will know more on Thursday.

After the catching change, Romano got Bichette to pop out, but gave up a single to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who then stole his first base of the season to put the winning run in scoring position. Romano has struggled with holding runners this season, and has allowed nine steals.

“I’ve got to be better. Can’t just give up that free base,” Romano said. “The past couple outings, I’ve given up a couple free bases. Something to work on for sure.”

It set the stage for Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk’s walk-off single. Kirk fouled off three straight pitches before connecting on a fastball that was a bit lower than Romano intended.

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“He just left it in the zone and he barreled it up. But I thought his stuff was good,” Thomson said.

Phillies starter Mick Abel, on the other hand, didn’t feel like he had his best stuff, but dominated the Blue Jays anyway.

“I think I left some curveballs up tonight. Wasn’t really bouncing them how I wanted to off the dirt,” Abel said.

He only recorded two strikeouts against Toronto, after tying a Phillies record with nine in his debut. But the only blemish on an otherwise perfect first five innings from Abel was a single from Toronto nine-hole hitter Andrés Giménez in the third.

With each out, Abel also extended his scoreless streak, becoming the first Phillies pitcher to throw more than 10 consecutive scoreless innings to start his career since Cole Hamels did so in 2006.

“He was fantastic,” Thomson said. “I mean, first-pitch strikes, strike-to-ball ratio, curveball was really good. No walks. The poise was outstanding. I thought he was really good.”

The streak came to an end in the sixth inning, after Giménez sent a single to right field for Toronto’s second hit of the night. Abel, who last pitched on Friday at triple-A Lehigh Valley, started to show some fatigue. He threw three straight balls to Bichette, followed by a sinker that only clocked 92.4 mph, which Bichette sent to left-center field.

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Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh converged on it, but the ball bounced off a sliding Marsh’s glove. Gimenez easily scored, spoiling the shutout, while Bichette advanced to third.

That ended Abel’s night at 5⅓ innings. He has not yet allowed a walk in the major leagues.

Nick Castellanos’ solo homer to right-center in the second inning was the only run support Abel received. The offense had the opportunity to give him more of a cushion, but left the bases loaded in the fifth inning.

“I thought we were going to score there,” Thomson said. “Bases loaded, one out. One, two guys coming up. But [Bryson] Stott had a good at-bat. A long at-bat. He just popped the ball up.”

Orion Kerkering helped preserve what was then a 1-1 tie in the sixth by stranding Bichette at third with a fly out and a strikeout.