By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
For just the eighth time out of 66 occurrences this season, the Philadelphia Phillies blew a lead after seven innings, falling 8-6 in the second of a three-game set early Saturday evening against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre.
The Phillies led 5-0, before yielding three runs in the fourth, two in the seventh and three in the eighth. Starter Nick Pivetta struggled in his second straight start, allowing five runs on seven hits, three walks and four strikeouts spanning 6 2/3 innings and 101 pitches. In relief, Seranthony Dominguez fell to 1-5, allowing three earned runs on a hit, walk and strikeout in just 2/3 of an inning. Victor Arano gave up a bases-clearing, two-out double to Aledmys Diaz in the eighth, which effectively sealed the game in favor of the Blue Jays. Kendrys Morales homered off Pivetta in the fourth, tying Jose Cruz Jr.'s club record of six consecutive games with a home run.
Designated hitter Rhys Hoskins recorded his first runs batted in since the single-admission doubleheader against the New York Mets on Thursday, August 16, punching in his 78th, 79th and 80th with a sacrifice fly RBI in the third — the game's first run — followed by a two-run single to left in the fourth to put the Phillies on top, 5-0. Jorge Alfaro added a RBI single in the fifth, the team's last produced run of the contest. Overall, the club went 5-17 with runners in scoring position and left eight on base.
Pivetta has now yielded 11 runs over his last 10 1/3 innings (9.58 ERA) against the New York Mets and Blue Jays. The loss is the Phillies' sixth in their last seven games, and their third straight series defeat. The club — which now trails the National League East by 3 1/2 games — will look to salvage the finale Sunday afternoon behind right-hander Vince Velasquez.
