"Pretty sloppy as a team” - Bryce Harper reflects on Phillies slump following first home sweep in two years

The Philadelphia Phillies and Bryce Harper are slumping. For the first time in two years, they were swept at home. This left the team that previously held the best record in baseball with more questions than answers, even after the Trade Deadline.

The Phillies were routed by 10 runs in the opener. However, they fell by one run each (including an extra innings loss) in the second two games of the series. Harper couldn't muster much at the plate, even stranding the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth in the second match.

"I could say we haven't been playing good baseball on both sides of the ball," the right fielder said (via ESPN). "Pretty sloppy as a team -- we've got to turn the page. We've got to cowboy up and play the right way. We're a damn good team."

"It's not that hard, it's baseball. It's how the game works. We've got really good players in here."

Harper went 0-for-5 in Wednesday's loss and has just one hit in his last 30 at-bats. It's the worst slump of his 13-year career. Unsurprisingly, the Phillies are fading as well. They had a 10-game lead in the NL East on July 5. That lead has dwindled to 6.5 games and they are a league-worst 4-11 since July 12.

Their current four-game losing streak is the longest they've had. It partly came against the New York Yankees, a team slumping heavily for almost two months before turning things around and sweeping the Phillies.

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Rob Thomson addresses Bryce Harper's slump

Bryce Harper is the engine that drives the Philadelphia Phillies. Without him, they struggle on offense. That much is clear based on their recent results, which have been good for neither party.

Bryce Harper has struggled recently (IMAGN)

"It's certainly frustrating for him, because he does want to perform and help the team win," manager Rob Thomson said. "That's what he's all about, but he's just got to keep batting through it. You know he's going to come out of it at some point."

The Phillies are equipped to handle this, though. They still have other stars like Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber to pick up the slack. And despite the losses, they're still firmly in control of the division.