Coming off Friday’s dramatic 6-5 win, the Phillies, minus 1st baseman Ryan Howard who was rested for Saturday’s game, got blasted by 3 Florida homers as the Marlins, who continuing their routine of at least 1 hit per inning, crushed the Phillies by an 11-5 score.

There’s not much one can say about this one.  Four Phils pitchers, 11 Florida runs beginning with starter Adam Eaton who got bombed over 4 1/3 innings for 7 runs on 10 hits while walking 3 and striking out 4 and giving up 2nd baseman Dan Uggla’s 2 run shot in the second inning.   Eaton was charged with the loss.

Inquirer staff writer Todd Zolecki comments on Eaton’s performance and the unfortunate pattern of the first 2 games;

The Marlins have had at least one hit in every inning this series - that’s 18 consecutive innings.

“It feels like it,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “I’ve seen a lot of hitting.”

Phillies righthander Adam Eaton, who is 2-2 with a 7.71 ERA in five starts. In 41/3 innings last night, Eaton allowed 10 hits, seven runs and three walks. He struck out four.

“It’s frustrating, to say the least,” Eaton said. “I just didn’t get ahead of hitters very well. And when I did, I didn’t make quality pitches when I had them behind in the count. I don’t know if it’s a tweak or a mind-set or what, but obviously it needs to change.”

This certainly isn’t the start the Phillies or Eaton envisioned when he signed a three-year, $24.5 million contract in the off-season to replace lefthander Randy Wolf.

“Obviously, I’m coming up a little short with my expectations, let alone with theirs,” Eaton said.

Eaton struggled last night from the jump, which so far has been his modus operandi. He has allowed 13 runs in the first and second innings this season. He has allowed 12 in the rest. He also has allowed the leadoff hitter in every inning to hit .407 (11 for 27) with three walks.

So if it seems that Eaton always has been pitching with runners on base, it’s because he typically has been.

The Marlins touched up Francisco Rosario for 3 runs in his 1 1/3 innings on leftfielder Josh Willingham’s 3 run homer in the 6th inning and nicked lefthander Fabio Castro for a run in the 8th on 3rd baseman Miguel Cabrera’s solo shot in the 8th inning.

In fact, the only Phils pitcher to escape unscathed was Geoff Geary who pitched a scoreless 9th inning allowing only a double and striking out 2 in a mop-up mission with the game out of hand.

In the meantime, Florida ace Dontrelle Willis, who’s ERA of 5.35 is astronomical, won his 5th game of the season against 1 loss while pitching 6 1/3 innings and surrendering all 5 Phillies runs.

Batting in the leadoff spot in this game, centerfielder Aaron Rowand upped his hitting streak to 16 games with a 1st inning double and scored on shortstop Jimmy Rollins’ single.  Rollins was switched to the 3 spot with rightfielder Shane Victorino remaining in the 2nd slot and 2nd baseman  Chase Utley batting cleanup.

Catcher Rod Barajas had the Phillies only homer of the game, a solo blast off of Willis in the 2nd.

But the Phillies came back on Sunday, with Howard back in the lineup, to take the series from Florida on the strength of an outstanding pitching performance by Jamie Moyer, who won his 3rd game against 1 loss,
solid relief from both Brett Myers and Antonio Alfonseca as well as just enough offensive punch to post a 6-1 win.

Yahoo sport’s AP recap reports on Moyer’s performance and on the Phils’ offense which included 2 hits by Moyer who helped his own cause at bat;

Moyer took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning and combined with two relievers for a four-hitter in the Philadelphia Phillies’ 6-1 win over the Florida Marlins on Sunday.

Moyer had faced the minimum 20 batters when Miguel Cabrera broke up the no-hitter with a two-out double in the seventh. The hard liner went over third baseman Abraham Nunez’s glove and down the left-field line. Moyer got Josh Willingham to line out softly to end the inning.

Moyer (3-1) struck out five and walked two in 7 1-3 shutout innings, leaving the field to a standing ovation.

Jayson Werth made a key defensive play in left field and had a two-run single for the Phillies, who have won seven of their last nine games. Moyer went 2-for-3 with a double but it was his pitching that dazzled against the Marlins.

The crafty 44-year-old mixed up a fastball that topped out at 82 mph with an array of cutters, changeups and curveballs that frustrated the Marlins throughout the game. Moyer’s low-hit game for his career was a two-hitter on Aug. 16, 1986, at Montreal when he was a member of the Chicago Cubs.

Moyer gave up a leadoff walk to Aaron Boone in the eighth. He struck out Cody Ross but yielded a single to Joe Borchard. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel brought in Brett Myers, who fanned Miguel Olivo and Mike Jacobs to end the threat.

Pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs had a three-run double in the eighth for the Phillies, and Antonio Alfonseca allowed a run-scoring double to Josh Willingham in the ninth before retiring Aaron Boone for the final out.

Unfortunately, Aaron Rowand’s hitting streak came to an end at 16 games as he went hitless in 3 plate appearances.  Losing pitcher Wes Obermueller gave up three runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings but stayed competitive with Moyer through 5 innings giving up 1 run on 3 hits but gave up 2 runs and 2 hits in in the 6th inning before being relieved. He struck out four, walked two and hit two batsmen.

For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on these and all Saturday and Sunday games, click here and here.

The Phillies now go on the road for 10 games; 3 games in Atlanta with those Braves who thrive on late inning comebacks.  Then they head to the West Coast for 4 games with the San Francisco Giants followed by 3 games in Arizona against the Diamondbacks.

On Monday, Jon Lieber goes for the Phils vs Tim Hudson for the Braves with a battle of lefthanders scheduled for Tuesday as Cole Hamels opposes  Mark Redman.

For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on these and all Monday and Tuesday games, click here and here.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, April 29th, 2007 at 8:09 pm and is filed under Real-Time Baseball News and Commentary
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