Injury-Plagued Phillies Beaten by Chicago Cubs
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The Chicago Cubs erased a 3-2 Phillies lead by scoring 3 runs in the 6th inning and 2 more insurance runs in the 7th as the injury-depleted Phillies were beaten by a 7-3 score in the 2nd of their 4 game series.
Despite losing, the Phillies lost no ground to the NL East 1st place Mets who lost a 13 inning 4-2 game at Milwaukee as the bullpen failed to hold for Tom Glavine in his effort to reach the 300 win plateau.
The Phils did, however lose a game off of their 2nd place lead over Atlanta as the Braves pummelled the Houston Astros by a 12-4 score.
The Phillies, who have suffered a rash of injuries over the past few games, hustled to make some pre-game moves to re-tool and fill open roster slots with another wave of minor league call-ups and trade deadline-beating acquisitions. They continue to work to cobble together a productive lineup until Chase Utley, Shane Victorino and Michael Bourn return to the club after injuries.
They acquired troubled reliever Julio Mateo from Seattle assigning hm to AA Reading and called up Geoff Geary from the minors, both moves attempting to bolster the bullpen. They also called up Chris Roberson who started the game in Victorino’s rightfield position and went 4-for-4, including an RBI single in the second inning. Outfielder Jayson Werth will be activated from the disabled list on Wednesday to fill another vacant roster spot.
The Cubs struck with two 1st inning runs off of starter Adam Eaton who was again denied his 10th win and was saddled with his 7th loss.
The Phils narrowed the Cub lead to 2-1 on winning pitcher Jason Marquis on Roberson’s 2nd inning RBI single to centerfield. They tied the game in the 5th inning on shortstop Jimmy Rollins’ ground out RBI and went ahead in the 6th on leftfielder Pat Burrell’s lead-off solo homer to left-centerfield.
The AP report for Yahoo sports summarizes the Cubs’ scoring in the 6th;
Leading 3-2 in the sixth inning, Phillies starter Adam Eaton (9-7) gave up back-to-back singles to Cliff Floyd and Mark DeRosa. [Jacque] Jones followed with a double down the line in left. Floyd easily scored from second, and DeRosa was held up at third but went home after Burrell bobbled the ball. DeRosa slid around catcher Chris Coste’s tag to give the Cubs the lead.
After a sacrifice bunt by [Jason] Kendall, pinch-hitter Mike Fontenot drove in Jones with a single to make it 5-3.
With one out and Chicago now leading, losing pitcher Eaton was lifted for the newly called-up Geary who got the side out with a strikeout and a line-out to rightfield.
But in the 7th inning, Geary did what Geary has done best throughout this season, and what he was sent down to the minors to take of; walking himself into a bases loaded, one out jam. After striking out
centerfielder Jacque Jones for the 2nd out, catcher Jason Kendall’s single drove in the two Cub insurance runs.
Marquis was replaced for the 7th inning after 6 innings and giving up 3 runs on 8 hits while walking 3 and striking out 4. Then the Cub bullpen took over to hold the Phillies scoreless over the 3 innings although giving up 4 hits. Marquis and relievers only went clean on the Phillies in one inning, the 4th, as the Phils racked up 12 hits and left 11 runners on base and had Cubs pitchers on the ropes in the 2nd, 3rd and 9th innings.
For the scores, boxscores on this and all of Tuesday’s games, click here.
Wednesday’s game will also be a duel of lefthanders as veteran Jamie Moyer goes for win #10 vs 3rd year lefty Rich Hill.
In Thursday’s series finale (the series was scheduled for 4 games, not 3 as previously posted on this blog) J.D. Durbin, previously thought to be demoted from the starting rotation with the acquisition of Kyle Lohse, opposes another Cubs’ lefthander, Sean Marshall.
The Phils then move on to play a series with Milwaukee beginning on Friday. Rookie Kyle Kendrick, going for his 6th win, will open the series opposed by lefthander Chris Capuano for the Brewers as the Phillies get to see a herd of lefties.
For the scores, boxscores on all of Wednesday’s games, click here.
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