Phillies Offense Moribund in Cardinals Shutout
|
|
|
|
|
When a team goes through a stretch like the Phillies have since June 10 (9-17) and their offense, which lit up late on Monday against the Mets burns itself out trying unsuccessfully to recover from a 9 run deficit, just as they burned out after beating the Cards on June 13 by a 20-2 score, its discouraging to write about. It is all the more discouraging when a fine outing by ace lefthander Cole Hamels goes to naught when a dead offense is shut out 2-0 by marginal pitching.
In losing, the NL East leading Phillies saw their lead remain at 1 1/2 games as 2nd place Florida was pounded by the San Diego Padres. The Mets shut out San Francisco to jump into a 2nd place tie with the Marlins. 4th place Atlanta, who pounded the Los Angeles Dodgers, picked up a game and are now 5 games off of the pace.
For the month of June through to July 7, the Phils have been shut out 3 times. They were shut out only 3 times through the entire 2007 season. During the 9-17 stretch between June 10 and July 7, the Phils have been held to 2 or less runs in 10 of their 17 losses.
Hamels made just 2 mistakes in an otherwise flawless, but hard-luck losing performance. He retired 12 of the first 13 hitters he faced through four innings before centerfielder Rick Ankiel led off the fifth inning with a solo shot, his 19th, to left centerfield to put the Cards on the board. It was only second hit given up by Hamels who retired the next 5 hitters he faced before rightfielder Ryan Ludwick went yard in the sixth for his 18th homer of the season.
Meanwhile, the Phils managed to get runners on in six of the innings only to see them rubbed out 3 times on doubleplays and once on a pickoff at 1st base by starter Joel Pineiro.
Winning pitcher Pineiro left the game in the seventh inning with a 2 on, 1 out situation. Lefthanded reliever Ron Villone replaced Pineiro and got pinch hitter Chris Coste to ground into a 3rd-to-2nd-to-1st doubleplay to end the inning. Pineiro threw 93 pitches giving up 5 hits while walking 3 and striking out 3 in 6 1/3 innings of work.
The Cards bullpen permitted just 1 Phillie to reach in the final 2 2/3 innings as former Phillie Ryan Franklin pitched the ninth inning to notch his 12th save in 14 chances.
Hamels was lifted for a pinch hitter in the Phillies’ seventh and relievers Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge held the Cards the rest of the way. Hamels, who threw 100 pitches, gave up 2 runs on 3 hits while striking out 8.
AP Sports Writer Rob Maaddi summed up the Phillies’ reaction to the loss for Yahoo sports;
“It’s frustrating because Cole threw well,” Phillies slugger Ryan Howard said. “He did his job. We have to find ways to manufacture runs.”
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Tuesday’s games, click here.
On Wednesday, 26 year old recently called-up lefthander J.A. Happ faces another lefthander, soon-to-be 31 year old Mark Mulder as the Phillies try to revive their offense. In Thursday’s final, yet another Phillies lefthander, veteran 45 year old Jamie Moyer faces Braden Looper.
The Arizona Diamondbacks follow the Cards in to play a weekend series before the All Star break.
For the scores, boxscores and recaps on Wednesday’s games, click here.
del.icio.us |
digg |
Furl |
Reddit |
YahooMyWeb |