The Phillies lost to the Cardinals 12-4 Friday night, and maybe they want to blame this latest loss (the ball club was 23-46, worst in the MLB, after the loss) on a squirrel.

The squirrel first popped up in the second inning on the protective netting behind home plate. The animal did a tightwire walk above the net, then nosedived almost 30 feet onto the roof of the Phillies’ dugout. It jumped into the dugout, possibly making contact with a player and sending everyone scamperin before scampering away itself.

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Broadcasters mentioned that the squirrel evoked a memory of the two teams battling in Game 4 of the NLDS when a squirrel ran across home plate. That was October 2011.

The Cardinals won that game and the next one and, finally, won the World Series. It was called their Rally Squirrel.

Friday night, the score was already 4-0, Cards leading, when the squirrel popped up behind home plate. The redbirds went on to win the game 11-0.

Ow. Blame it on the squirrel.

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