Alec Bohm may hate this place, but he is better loved by his teammates as he turned the New York Mets 5-4 on Monday night by scoring five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to turn it into something big. ,
Bohm had a nightmare night at third base for the Phillies. He made three mistakes in throwing. He also made five successful plays on the field but the Citizens Bank Park crowd of 22,317 could not get past the errors. So when Bohm made one of those successful plays in the second inning, he was greeted with mock cheers.
It didn't sit well with him.
Television cameras caught Bohm looking at shortstop Didi Gregorius and saying, "I hate this place."
Wow.
What kid doesn't know you don't get into a hissing war with Philadelphia fans?
Bohm could have made up a story and said that the lip-readers were wrong. He could claim that he said, "I hate those plays." He could hide in the training room or take a quick postgame exit from the ballpark.
But when the reporters entered the clubhouse, the 25-year-old infielder was in his locker with no excuse in his quiver.
"Emotions got the best of me," he said. "I said. Do I mean? No.
"It's been a frustrating night for me, obviously. I've made some mistakes on the field. These guys, these fans, they just want to win, and you heard it, we're back, they're great.
"I feel sorry for them. I don't mean to. Feelings got the best of me."
Feelings got the best of the Phillies in the dugout as the Bats came alive at the bottom of the eighth inning. Bohm started the rally on foot. A single by Johann Camargo and Bohm scored on a fielder's pick by Kyle Schwarber. JT Realmuto then electrified the crowd with a two-run homer. Nick Castellanos kept the innings alive with a two-out walk and then scored a tying run with a double by Rhys Hoskins.
Gregorius came up.
He heard the crowd shouting slogans, Didi...Didi...Didi...
He later said, "I felt like I had to come." "It was good. We need extra incentive to keep this going."
Gregorius doubled home to Hawkins to give the Phillies the lead. Fans were flustered. The dugout went bonkers.
"You can feel it," Bohm said. "Once that line goes further, it's hard to stop. Hitting is contagious. You hear that all the time and in that eighth inning it became contagious."
The Phillies had just four hits during the first seven innings of being shut out.
But Castellanos said, "Even in the dugout when we were down, we were like, 'Yo, we're going to win this game.
Apart from a late rally, the Phillies won as Nick Nelson made his debut with the club and held the score close with four innings of a one-run ball.
"It probably gets overlooked, but Nick Nelson was tremendous," said manager Joe Girardi. "He saved our bullpen."
The win gave the Phillies the better of 3–1. He has 18 more meetings with the Mets, including on Tuesday night. If all games are as eventful and exciting as this...
The win took some of the heat off Bohm.
"Everyone here has my back," he said. "I'm glad I have some mates who can take me out there and make up for my mistakes.
"Winning is what helps me feel good. I put us in a hole. You saw those batsmen in the eighth inning. Everyone was locked inside."
In addition to running twice, Bohm doubled in the game. He has made one singles, two doubles and three walks in six plate appearances this season.
Not too shabby.
However, the question remains: Can the Phillies afford to play him if his defense remains an issue last year and Monday night? The team is spending $240 million to break a post-season 10-year drought. The stakes are high and there won't be an eighth inning rally every night.
"We have to make him better," Girardi said. "That's the bottom line. Find a way."
Bryson Stott will likely play third base on Tuesday night.
He is crying loves this place.
And so, too, Bohm, despite what the video might say.
"I think it's a kid who was disappointed," Girardi said. "I don't think the kid was referring to the city of Philadelphia, fans. I think he was referring to the situation he was in. Put yourself in his shoes. It's a tough place. I told him that I've been there. I've passed three balls. I've passed balls to lose a game. In that case, you hate everything. Think about what he was feeling. This Not a fun situation."