Taijuan Walker’s return to the Phillies came under circumstances that, in a vacuum, would be ideal. A home crowd and a rookie hurler on the opposing side. But baseball games are not played in vacuums. They are played in ballparks. And Citizens Bank Park is, at this moment, home to a reeling ballclub and fans caught somewhere between disbelief and apoplexy.

Walker got off to a rocky start, walking the second and third batters he faced. A bloop single from Jonah Bride scored one, and another bloop from Otto Lopez scored another.

His second inning, however, was the inverse of his first: a neat, tidy and rapid 1-2-3. Unfortunately the Phillies hitters could not replicate the feat of inversion, stymied by Valente Bellozo in just his 5th MLB game. They turned in a second straight scoreless inning that looked much like the first.

Taijuan’s troubles returned in the 3rd via a solo shot to Jake Burger. He put two strikes on him, then threw a mistake.

The Phillies seemed like they might have their breakthrough on a double from Johan Rojas, who slapped one right past a diving Burger at 3rd. But Kyle Schwarber popped out and Trea Turner hit a foul that became an out via an excellent diving catch from Vidal Bruján in right and the frustration continued unabated.

And the foul mood in the stands didn’t seem like it was going anywhere. The 4th saw Alec Bohm walk and Nick Castellanos hit a ball that just barely caught the foul line and bounced over the wall for a ground rule double by the narrowest margin you’ll ever see. But J.T. Realmuto popped out to end the inning and strand both.