| Philliesflow.com |
How do you spell relief? No, seriously, how do you spell it?
August 25 2007
Anyone? I remember there's something about an 'r'. Releef, maybe? I can't be sure.
Nearly unbearably miserable. Phils lose. Lohse was great and left in the seventh up 2-1. Gordon gave up a solo shot in the eighth to tie the game and Myers gave up two bombs in the ninth.
Charlie Manuel made an absolutely terrible decision in the seventh, pinch-running for Burrell in a one run game. In addition to taking Burrell out of the tight game, it meant that Dobbs had to stay in to hit against a lefty with two outs and two men on base later that inning. Dobbs struck out. The Phils aren't good enough these days for absolutely terrible decisions.
On the other hand, it was nothing compared to Gordon and Myers allowing three home runs in two innings.
The Phillies lost to the San Diego Padres tonight, losing 4-3 to drop to 66-62 on the year. They have lost four in a row and six of their last seven. They've scored 11 runs in their last four games. If they had scored 13 runs a game in each of their last four, they'd have gone 2-2. The offense can't score, but it's not going to matter if the bullpen doesn't get it done soon.
Kyle Lohse got the start for the Phillies and went 6 2/3 innings, allowing a run on four hits and two walks. Two of the hits went for extra-bases, a double and a solo home run. He struck out four. He was awful at the plate, twice unable to bunt, and it hurt the Phils.
Milton Bradley walked with two outs in the first, but Lohse got Adrian Gonzalez to pop to third for the third out.
Lohse got a 1-2-3 second, getting the third out on a nice play by Dobbs. Dobbs made a long throw from deep third to get Kevin Kouzmanoff and retire the side. One of the better plays on the year from Dobbs, who has been miserable defensively at third this season.
Geoff Blum started the third with a single to right and pitcher Clay Hensley bunted him to second. Lohse struck out Brian Giles for the second out and got Mike Cameron to ground to short to end the frame.
Khalil Greene doubled with two outs in the fourth, but Josh Bard hit one back to Lohse for the third out.
Hensley reached on a two-out infield single to Dobbs at third in the fifth. Giles was next and he flew to left.
Cameron started the sixth with a home run to left that cut the Phils' lead to 2-1. Lohse got the next three.
Lohse walked Blum with two outs in the seventh and Romero came in to pitch to lefty Rob Mackowiack, who was the announced pinch-hitter for Brocail. Righty Craig Stansberry pinch-hit for Mackowiack and lined a single into right on the first pitch of his first career at-bat. Blum went to second and Romero stayed in to pitch to the lefty Giles. Giles popped to Howard near the mound to end the frame.
Gordon started the eighth with the Phils up 2-1. He struck out Cameron for the first out before Bradley followed with a long home run to right that tied the game at 2-2. Gonzalez followed with a single into right. Greene hit one back to the pitcher and Gordon threw to second to force Gonzalez, but the Phils couldn't get the double-play. Bard grounded back to the pitcher to end the inning.
Myers started the ninth and gave up a home run to right to the leadoff hitter Kouzmanoff that put the Padres up 3-2. Blum grounded to short for the first out, but Terrmel Sledge pinch-hit for Heath Bell and homered to left-center to put the Padres up 4-2. Giles grounded to first for the second out and Cameron flew to center to end the frame.
Gordon and Myers. The Phils needed them tonight like they needed Moyer last night. Didn't get any of them.
The Phillies' lineup against righty Clay Hensley went (1) Rolllins (2) Iguchi (3) Burrell (4) Howard (5) Rowand (6) Dobbs (7) Werth (8) Ruiz. Werth plays right with Victorino on the bench after Victorino left last night's came after landing awkwardly on first base. I have no problem with the lineup on paper, but I think I'd change it up just cause they never, ever score any runs. Burrell's hitting well, but I think I'd take him out of the three-hole.
Burrell homered to left with two outs in the first, putting the Phils up 1-0. Howard grounded to first to end the inning.
Rowand started the second with a single and took off on a 3-2 pitch to Dobbs. Dobbs lined it to Bradley in left for the first out. Rowand was running on the play and had to scurry back to first. Bradley threw to first and probably would have had Rowand doubled off, but Gonzalez didn't catch the ball. Rowand took second and Bradley was charged with an error despite making an excellent throw. Werth flew to right, allowing Rowand to go to third. Ruiz walked, but Lohse grounded back to the pitcher to end the inning.
Burrell singled with two outs in the third and Howard followed with a walk. Rowand grounded back to the pitcher to end the inning with both runners left stranded.
Dobbs started the fourth with a pretty bunt single to third. Dobbs was running on the 1-1 pitch to Werth that Werth lined into left for a double. Dobbs scored easily and the Phils led 2-0. Ruiz walked, putting men on first and second with nobody out. Lohse couldn't bunt, though, and struck out trying. Rollins followed with another strikeout. With Iguchi at the plate, Werth and Ruiz executed a double-steal that put men on second and third, but Iguchi grounded to third to end the inning. Could have used some runs there.
Rowand doubled with two outs in the fifth, which chased Hensley. Doug Brocail came in to pitch to Dobbs and got him to ground to third to end the inning. Fourth straight inning the Phils had left a runner on second or third.
With one out in the sixth, Ruiz was hit by a pitch from Brocail. Who could have seen that one coming? Brocail hit him in the leg and both benches were warned coming off of last night's Ruiz initiated blowup. Lohse tried to bunt and again couldn't, striking out. Rollins grounded to second for the third out.
Iguchi started the seventh with a hundred hopper back up the middle for a single. Burrell followed with a ground ball to short. Iguchi was forced at second with Burrell safe at first. Nunez ran for Burrell at first. Hate that play, I'd leave Burrell in a one-run game up or down. I'd also leave him in in a two-run game, while we're on the subject. Howard hit a high foul ball on the 1-0 pitch near third base. It popped out of Kouzmanoff's glove for an error and kept Howard's at-bat alive. Howard smashed a ball to second that went off the glove of Blum and into right for a single. Rowand struck out on three pitches and Dobbs hit for himself against the lefty Justin Hampson and struck out on three pitches. That's terrible by Manuel. He takes Burrell out of the game for a pinch-runner and can't pinch-hit for Dobbs with a righty (Helms or Coste, but he probably wouldn't have used Coste cause of last catcher) without putting Victorino in the game cause he needs Dobbs to play the outfield with Burrell out. He apparently didn't want to or couldn't put Victorino in the game. Pinch-running for Burrell was the big problem, and that's a bad decision even if he does hit a righty for Dobbs.
Werth and Ruiz struck out to start the eighth. Branyan pinch-hit for Gordon and grounded to second for the third out.
In the ninth, Rollins got behind Trevor Hoffman but ripped an 0-2 pitch into left-center for a double. Iguchi flew to left for the first out. Coste hit for Nunez in what should have been Burrell's slot and flew to center for the second. San Diego pitched to Howard with first base open. Rollins stole third before Howard hit a ground ball to the second baseman Blum who was playing in right field. Howard beat it out and Rollins scored to make the score 4-3. It brought Rowand up as the winning run, but Rowand struck out to end the game.
In the second, third, fourth, fifth and seventh the Phils left a runner on second or third. In the ninth they left the tying run on first. The seventh was the worst when Rowand and Dobbs struck out back-to-back with two men on and the Phils up a run.
Rollins was 1-for-5 with a double.
Iguchi was 1-for-5.
Burrell was 2-for-4 with a home run.
Howard was 2-for-4 with an RBI. He did a great job to beat the ball out in the ninth.
Rowand was 2-for-5 with a double.
Dobbs was 1-for-4.
Werth was 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
Ruiz was 0-for-1 with two walks and was hit by a pitch.
Kyle Kendrick (6-3, 4.06) starts tomorrow afternoon against righty Tim Stauffer (0-0, 17.18). Kendrick has been lights out against righties and hit hard by lefties. Righties are hitting .221 with an 0.86 ratio against him and lefties .331 with a 1.82 ratio. Over his last two starts he's allowed eight earned runs in 12 1/3 innings. Stauffer is a 25-year-old who has made one appearance for the Padres this season. On July 29 he went 3 2/3 innings against the Astros, allowing seven runs on four hits, three of which were home runs. He appeared in 15 games for the Padres in 2005, 14 of which were starts, and got another start last season. In 90 2/3 career innings he's thrown to a 5.56 ERA.
Brian Sanches was designated for assignment and righty John Ennis called up from Triple-A. Ennis has thrown to a 3.36 ERA in 83 innings at Triple-A this season, allowing 87 hits and 31 walks. Ennis turns 28 next month and last appeared in the majors with the Tigers in 2004. In 20 career innings he has a 7.65 ERA.