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Phils' offense slow against Lowe while pen is battered to-and-fro
August 23 2007
Turns out 12 is too many runs to give up after the fifth inning if you want to win a game where you score three.
The Phils got blown out last night. JD Durbin started the sixth down 3-1, but things spun out of control quickly and the Dodgers rolled to a 15-3 win. Mesa and Condrey combined to allow ten runs in three innings.
Derek Lowe shut down the Phillies' offense, which would be a little more impressive if Tim Redding hadn't managed the same feat last week. The suddenly sputtering Philadelphia hitters managed just six hits on the game and didn't draw a walk. In a year where the Phils have been the league's best offense, they are tied for seventh in runs scored in the NL for August.
The Phillies fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers last night, losing 15-3 to drop to 66-59 on the year. They are in second place in the NL East, five games behind the Mets. They are a game behind the Padres in the Wild Card and have 37 to play. They would need to go 24-13 to finish with 90 wins. They have lost three of four.
JD Durbin got the start for the Phillies and went six innings, allowing five runs on seven hits. Only four of the runs were earned. Four of the hits went for extra-bases, three doubles and a home run. He walked three and struck out one.
Rafael Furcal led off the first with a single and Juan Pierre followed with a fly ball to center for the first out. Matt Kemp hit a ground ball to third that should have been a double-play to end the frame, but Dobbs bobbled and the Phillies didn't get an out. Kent flew to center for the second out. Andre Ethier was next, hitting with men on first and second and one out, and he sliced a double to the wall in left. Furcal scored to put the Dodgers up 1-0, but Rollins took the relay from Burrell and threw a strike home to nail Kemp for the third out. One of the reasons the Phillies have so many outfield assists is the great relays they get from their middle infielders. Iguchi had one last night to help get Werth an assist and Rollins had one tonight. Dobbs' error helped the Dodgers score a run.
James Loney walked with one out in the second, but Shea Hillenbrand was next and hit into a double-play.
Durbin threw a 1-2-3 third.
With one out in the fourth, Kent doubled off the wall in left-center just out of the reach of Rowand. Ethier was next and he crushed a ball out to right center. 3-0. Durbin got the next two.
Durbin got three ground balls in a 1-2-3 fifth.
Kemp singled with one out in the sixth and scored when Kent followed with a double, putting the Dodgers up 4-1. Ethier was walked intentionally to set up the double-play. Russell Martin flew to right for the second out, but Loney singled into center. Kent scored to make it 5-1 and Rowand threw to third. He wasn't close to getting Ethier and his throw couldn't be cut. It allowed Loney to go to second, where he could have scored on a single. Durbin walked Hillenbrand intentionally to load the bases and struck out the pitcher Lowe to end the inning.
Mesa came in to pitch the seventh and the Dodgers loaded the bases on a walk to Furcal and singles by Pierre and Kemp. Kent hit a fly ball to right and Furcal tagged and tried to score. Victorino made a strong throw, but it skipped in front of Coste and Coste couldn't handle it. Furcal scored and it was 6-1. More questionable defense behind the plate from Coste. Mesa walked Ethier to load the bases intentionally again. Mesa hit Martin, forcing in another run and making the score 7-1. That was it for Mesa, Condrey came in to pitch to the lefty Loney with the bases loaded and one out. No doubt would have been the lefty Casto instead of Condrey if Castro wasn't starting today after Hamels hit the DL. Loney singled into left, scoring two runs and making the score 9-1. Martin went to third. Hillenbrand flew to center for the second out, Martin scored from third to make it 10-1. Condrey got Lowe on a ground ball to second to end the frame.
Condrey returned for the eighth and gave up leadoff singles to Furcal and Pierre to start the inning. Kemp smashed a triple to center and both runners scored to make it 12-3. Ramon Martinez, who came in to play second for Kent in the blowout, grounded to third for the first out. Kemp scored to make it 13-3. Ethier popped to short for the second out. Mike Lieberthal pinch-hit for Martin and singled into left. Loney grounded to short for the third out.
Condrey pitched the ninth. Hillenbrand led off with a single and went to second on a ground ball back to the pitcher. Furcal singled to center and Hillenbrand scored to put LA up 14-3. Pierre and Kemp both followed with singles to load the bases. Martinez hit a fly ball to center and Furcal scored. 15-3. Ethier flew to center for the third out.
Condrey throws 42 pitches, allowing five runs on nine hits in 2 2/3 innings. His ERA is 5.97.
Mesa was also hammered, charged with five runs in 1/3 of an inning. It pushed his ERA with the Phils from 2.96 to 4.55.
The Phillies' lineup against righty Derek Lowe went (1) Rollins (2) Iguchi (3) Burrell (4) Howard (5) Rowand (6) Victorino (7) Dobbs (8) Coste. Victorino returns to the lineup, activated in Hamels' roster spot when Hamels hit the DL. He hits sixth with Iguchi holding onto the two spot. Dobbs back at third against the righty and Coste behind the plate.
The Phillies didn't have a base runner through the first three innings.
Rollins led off the fourth with a double, but Iguchi, Burrell and Howard went down behind him.
Rowand started the fifth with a single and went to second on a wild pitch. He went to third on a ground ball to first by Victorino and scored on a ground ball to first by Dobbs. It cut the Dodgers lead to 3-1. Coste grounded to third to end the inning. Phils do the little things right to create a run and it makes the difference between losing by 12 or 13 runs. If it comes down to a vote on doing the little things right or the big things right, I'm going with the big things.
Roberson pinch-hit for Durbin to start the sixth and singled. Rollins hit it hard to first, but Loney made a nice play to force Roberson at second. Rolllins beat out the double-play. Iguchi grounded to short and Rollins was forced at second for the second out. Burrell moved Iguchi to third with a single, but Howard grounded to second to end the inning.
Rowand started the seventh with a single by Victorino followed and flew to left. Rowand moved to second on a ground ball to third by Dobbs, and Coste followed and smoked one out to left to cut the Dodger' lead to 10-3. Werth grounded to short to end the inning.
The Phils went 1-2-3 in the eighth and again in the ninth.
Rollins was 1-for-3 with a double.
Iguchi 0-for-4 with a strikeout. He's 2-for-his-last-11.
Burrell was 1-for-3 with a strikeout.
Howard 0-for-3 and left three men on base. He hasn't struck out in his last seven at-bats after striking out nine times in his previous 16. 3-for-his-last-18.
Rowand was 2-for-3.
Victorino 0-for-4.
Dobbs was 0-for-3 with an RBI.
Coste was 1-for-3 with a two-run homer, his third of the year. 341/372/476 in 82 at-bats on the season, 332/375/496 in 280 career at-bats.
The Phils have walked eight times in their last four games after not drawing a walk last night. This season they have walked 481 times in 125 games, about 3.85 walks per game.
Fabio Castro (0-0, 12.27) makes his first career start this afternoon against righty Chad Billingsley (7-4, 3.63) as the Phils try to take the series. In 35 1/3 career innings, Castro has thrown to a 3.31 ERA. He's allowed just 22 hits but walked 18. Opponents are hitting .182 against him. He made six starts at Triple-A this year in which he threw to a 4.23 ERA. Billingsley hasn't allowed more than four earned runs in any of his last ten starts. Opponents are hitting just .236 against him on the year, righties .194. He faced the Phillies on July 18 in Los Angeles, allowing four runs in five innings. Howard was 2-for-2 with a home run and a walk against him in that game.
Cole Hamels went on the DL retroactive to August 17, which means he could return on September 1 and miss just two starts.
After last night's game, the Phils sent Roberson back to Ottawa and called up Geary.
Durbin should work harder at keeping quotes defending not running out ground balls out of the paper. Only players who want to blow out a hammy should run the ball out?