Looking at the four teams from yesterday’s post, here’s how those potential playoff teams in the NL have pitched against the Phils this season:
| Team | Record vs. PHI | ERA | Ratio | K/9 |
| STL | 6-3 | 2.96 | 1.21 | 5.4 |
| MIL | 3-4 | 3.00 | 1.24 | 6.4 |
| ATL | 6-9 | 4.21 | 1.28 | 6.2 |
| ARI | 3-3 | 4.33 | 1.38 | 9.0 |
St Louis was one of two teams in baseball with a winning record against the Phils going into last night’s game, winning six of the nine games the teams played (including three of four in the series that ended on Monday). Seattle was the other team and they went 2-1. Washington is 9-8 against the Phils after beating them last night.
The 2.96 ERA that St Louis pitchers threw to against the Phils is the best mark for any NL team. The Cards took three of four from the Phils in the recent series and the Phils won two of three against the Cards in St Louis in mid-June. May 16 and 17 the Phils played a two-game set in St Louis and lost both games as St Louis starters Jamie Garcia and Jake Westbrook held the Phils to two runs (one unearned) over 15 innings.
The Diamondbacks notable whiffed the Phils at a high rate, striking out 52 Phillie hitters in 52 innings. Ian Kennedy (14 strikeouts in 12 innings against the Phils over two starts) did a lot of the damage there. Joe Saunders struck out 11 Phillies in 11 2/3 innings in his two starts, despite allowing 11 runs in those 11 2/3 frames. Josh Collmenter struck out nine in 7 2/3 innings over two appearances and Daniel Hudson fanned six in six frames in his one start.
Last night the Phils lost 7-5 to the Washington Nationals to fall to 98-57 on the year. They have lost five in a row and six of seven.
It’s the first time this season the Phillies have lost five games in a row.
Worley gave up a two-run homer to Wil Ramos in the top of the second to put Washington up 2-0. They Phils came back in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs on five singles to tie the game at 2-2. In the bottom of the third, Mayberry singled with two outs, stole second and took third on a throwing error by Ramos before scoring on single by Ibanez to put the Phils up 3-2. Danny Espinosa hit a two-run shot off of Worley in the sixth to put Washington back up at 4-3. Justin De Fratus started the eighth for the Phillies and hit the first batter he faced and walked the next one before Bastardo took over. Bastardo made a throwing error and allowed two singles before getting out of the frame. Washington plated three runs to extend their lead to 7-3. Mayberry followed a leadoff walk by Utley with a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to make it 7-5.
Not a good start for Worley, who allowed four runs over six innings. He has thrown to a 4.23 ERA over his last eight starts. Like Hamels, Worley’s home run rate has skyrocketed late in the season. Over his first 12 appearances for the year, Worley threw 62 1/3 innings and allowed just two home runs (0.29 HR per nine). Over his last 11 appearances, he’s thrown 66 2/3 innings and allowed eight (1.08 per nine).
Blanton threw a scoreless inning in the game. In three relief appearances since returning he has allowed a run on three hits and no walks over three innings while striking out four.
Schwimer threw a scoreless inning as well, dropping his ERA on the year to 6.35.
Bastardo faced six hitters. One reached on an error, two singled and he got three outs. Over his last six appearances, he’s thrown 3 1/3 innings and allowed six runs on six hits and five walks (16.20 ERA with a 3.30 ratio and opponents have hit 400/524/667 against him).
Mayberry was 3-for-4 with a two-run homer in the game. He’s hitting 307/350/614 since the All-Star break. 302/366/543 at home for the season compared to 248/308/512 on the road.
Francisco was 3-for-4 with three singles. He has started seven games in September and hit 400/400/400 (10-for-25 with ten singles and no walks).
Ibanez had two singles, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. He came into the game 2-for-his-last-22.
At the top of the order, Rollins, Victorino, Polanco and Utley combined to go 0-for-16 with two walks.
Roy Oswalt (8-9, 3.66) faces righty Brad Peacock (1-0, 1.42) tonight.
September 22nd, 2011 on 3:25 pm
Well, in a couple of hours I will be off to the last game of the season in The Bank. It is officially Fan Appreciation Night. I would like to be appreciated. I WANT to feel appreciated. I think a solid win would make me feel that way just fine, thank you very much.
September 22nd, 2011 on 3:27 pm
BTW, I thought I heard the announcers last night say that the Nats have a winning record against the Phillies.
September 22nd, 2011 on 3:56 pm
You’re right about the Nats. Wrote that yesterday before last night’s game. Just updated. Thanks.
I feel good about tonight. Peacock had a pretty nice year in the minors, so it will be interesting to see what he does, too.
September 22nd, 2011 on 10:52 pm
Peacock ate the Phillies for lunch. I watched a very, very bad team get swept tonight.
September 23rd, 2011 on 9:26 am
They didn’t really look that good, did they? I think they’re a good team playing badly and not a bad team, though. That distinction isn’t going to help them much if they never score a run again, though. Six in a row is a lot.
September 23rd, 2011 on 9:49 am
I’m still in the results-don’t-matter club. But, still, I would like to see this team crack the 100 win mark. Maybe the Mets can help with that.
September 23rd, 2011 on 10:42 am
Top of the lineup is 0 for 36 with 5 walks. Utley looks as bad as any hitter I have ever seen. It isn’t that he isn’t hitting home runs (and a three hole HAS to do that), it is that he has not driven a ball in a long, long time. How many popups can one man hit in a series? Victorino is lost.
Add Howard and Pence and at least Pence can drive Howard home. I doubt that will be enough.
And can we end the Bowker experiment now, please?
September 23rd, 2011 on 10:52 am
Kinda hoping Jim is right. A strong, no dinger outing from Hamels tonight would make me feel WAY better.
September 23rd, 2011 on 11:08 am
Six games to turn things around against the Mets and the Braves. I think they will. If they really bring back Pence and Howard and keep on losing going into the post-season, that’s not going to be good. I think there’s legitimate reason to be concerned about Rollins and Victorino, who have just been miserable at the top of the order. The Phils don’t have any answers for those guys not hitting. They have to hit, at least a little.
I will be really interested to see what the Phils do with Mayberry the rest of the way and into the playoffs. He’s been one of their strongest offensive players for a while now and they have no place to play him.