The Phillies continued their losing ways, a horrendous 6-20 record since June 8 as the lost a close game in Friday’s opener with the Pittsburgh Pirates by a 3-2 score.

The Pirates got off to a 3-0 lead on 2 runs in the 1st inning and the winning run in the 5th as starter and winner Ian Snell (8-6) pitched a stellar 7 innings giving up but 1 run and 3 hits despite issuing 3 walks. 

The Pirates scored their 2 first inning runs on an RBI double by leftfielder  Jason Bay (30 HRs, 64 RBIs, .281 BA) and a sacrifice fly by 3rd baseman  Freddy Sanchez (5 HRs, 49 RBIs, .362 BA) who leads the NL in batting average.  They scored the game winner as Sean Casey 3 HRs, .294 BA) drove in the run with a sacrifice fly. 

Phillies starter and losing pitcher Jon Lieber (3-6) pitched nearly as well as Snell giving up 3 runs on 5 hits but just 1 walk. It was an impressive first start for Lieber since coming off of the disabled list.  The problem is that the Phils offense spent another game in la-la land.  

They scored 1 run in the 5th to cut the pirate lead to 3-1 as Chase Utley (16 HRs, 52 RBIs, .307 BA) doubled scoring David Bell (4 HRs).  However, when Jimmy Rollins (9 HRs,.260 BA), who had walked just prior to Utley’s double, tried to make things happen by attempting to score from 1st base on the play, he was nailed at home to end the inning.

The Phils scored their other run in the 8th off of Pirate reliever Damaso Marte (0-5) as Rollins singled, went to 2nd on a wild pitch by Marte and to 3rd on a passed ball also by Marte.  He then scored on a sacrifice fly by  Bobby Abreu (8HRs, 59 RBIs, .286 BA).   Pirate closer Mike Gonzalez (2-3, 2.60 ERA, S13) was credited with a save in closing down the Phils in the 9th inning.

For the 2nd straight Phillies game, neither team hit a home run.

For the full recap, play-by-play and box scores on Friday’s game, click here.

Today, the Phils try again to get back on track as Cory Lidle (4-7) goes against Pittsburgh’s lefthander Paul Maholm (3-7).

For the scores, recaps and box scores of all of Friday’s games in both leagues, click here.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, July 8th, 2006 at 3:55 pm and is filed under Real-Time Baseball News and Commentary. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.