Phillies Drop Lineup For Massive Second Game vs Braves

The Philadelphia Phillies dropped the first game of their big four-game series with the Atlanta Braves on Friday, sending them farther away in the National League East division race.

Philadelphia now sits five games behind the Braves for the division, but there is still some hope. The two sides will be playing each other six times over the next nine games, giving the Phillies an outside chance to catch Atlanta.

But the clock is ticking for this team, and there needs to be a sense of urgency from this group. So heading into the second game of the series, the Phillies will need to put together a better showing if they want to climb back into the race.

Ahead of the game, the Phillies have revealed the lineup for the contest. Within it, slugger Kyle Schwarber again leads off, taking the designated hitter position.

Following Schwarber is shortstop Trea Turner, who has seen his share of issues this year. Bryce Harper comes next, playing in right field, and he is followed by Luis Arraez, who is playing second base.

Alec Bohm will be playing first base and hitting fifth in the game. Edmundo Sosa will be hitting sixth, playing in left field, while J.T. Realmuto takes the catcher spot, hitting seventh.

Bryson Stott will be at third base for this game, hitting eighth. And finally, Derek Hill finishes the order, playing in center field.

On the mound, right-hander Zack Wheeler gets the ball. Wheeler has registered a 3.31 ERA over 23 starts this year, firing 130.1 innings this season. 

This game could determine a lot for the Phillies, so the pressure is on. Playing at Citizens Bank Park should give them an advantage, but the Braves are a formidable team.

Philadelphia has long been trying to get back into the race for the NL East, and this series gives them a chance to make it happen. But if they were to drop more games to the Braves, the division race would be all but over.

Luckily for the Phillies, they are still in good shape for a wild-card spot heading into the final few weeks. However, this group wants to position itself in the best way for the playoffs, and winning the division would make that happen.

It's World Series-or-bust for the Phillies this year, and the pressure is certainly on.

First pitch for this game is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. PT/6:05 p.m. ET