The Philadelphia Phillies are on the ropes in the NLDS and a poorly managed at bat in the ninth inning might just have been the dagger that does them in.

On Monday, the Phillies were down 4-1 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the ninth inning of Game 2 of their series. With the Phillies having lost Game 1 at home, getting even in Game 2 seemed incredibly pivotal to their postseason chances as they head on to Los Angeles.

Despite a poor showing from their offense earlier in the game, the Phillies managed to put together a ninth inning rally after Nick Castellanos drove in two runs on a double with zero outs on the board. However, it all went wrong with the very next batter as Bryson Stott ... put down a bunt to move Castellanos to third?

Yes, really. In a zero outs situation and a favorable count, the Phillies decided a sacrifice bunt was the play, one that immediately backfired as Castellanos was thrown out off the pick up from Max Muncy.

So, instead of taking their chances with zero outs and Alex Vesia on the mound in relief, Phillies manager Rob Thomson called for a coward's bunt. Not only that, one batter later, Harrison Bader singled to left field, which would have scored Castellanos easily from second and would have tied the game 4-4.

Instead, the Phillies gifted the Dodgers an out on an unnecessary bunt that very likely squashed the team's comeback chances as Philadelphia eventually ended the 4-3 game with two groundouts. When asked about the decision to bunt in that situation, Thomson said it was an attempt to tie the game. Tie the game. Not win, mind you. Tie!

The series now shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3, which very well could be the Phillies' last chance down 0-2 in the best of five. If the Phillies do end up bowing out of the playoffs, don't be surprised if Thomson gets the boot for this managing disaster.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Phillies bizarre ninth inning bunt costs them a comeback

Reporting by Mary Clarke, For The Win / For The Win

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