Game Recap:
The Nationals got to the Phillies' bullpen today, scoring seven runs in 3.1 innings to beat the Phillies and prevent the sweep.
What went right?
Placido Polanco continued his run, going 2-5 and scoring a run.
Shane Victorino went 1-5 with an RBI.
Juan Castro was 3-4 with two RBI.
Chase Utley went 1-5 with a home run, but he also struck out three times.
Jose Contreras was the only member of the bullpen not to give up a run, striking out the only two batters he faced.
What went wrong?
J.A. Happ didn't make it out of the sixth inning, allowing one unearned run in 5.1 innings on three hits. He didn't strike a batter out and walked six.
The bullpen fell apart today. Antonio Bastardo, Danys Baez and Ryan Madson allowed six runs in three innings on six hits, with Baez taking the loss.
Game Analysis:
There is no positive spin to the game today. Today, the Phillies were unable to get anything done when it mattered most, and their bullpen showed the cracks that people were talking about during the offseason as they dropped a 7-5 game to the Washington Nationals.
It wasn't all bad on the offensive side, aside from the nine men that the Phils left on base, so I'm not going to get into that much tonight. What I am going to get into is the pitching issues that have been going on so far this year. Save for Roy Halladay, only Jamie Moyer has made it through the sixth inning of any start this season, and that's going to start to wear on the bullpen arms early and often. Today was more of the same, as J.A. Happ was somehow able to work his way through six walks and no strikeouts in just 5.1 innings, but he threw 97 pitches in that amount of time. I'm all for the way the Phils are working pitchers over at the plate, but at the same time, most of their pitchers are getting worked over as well. Happ, Hamels and Kendrick all have to start lasting longer in games, or the bullpen isn't going to last that long.
Today was one of those games that you could see coming, too. There was no way that Happ should still not have an earned run, not after walking six batters. When Ryan Zimmerman came up in the eighth inning, the game suddenly had the feel of one from the late innings of last season, with the Phillies unable to hold onto a lead that their offense had given them. After Zimmerman's swing cleared the right field wall, I knew how this game was going to end. Call me a pessimist all you want, but I've been down the road the Phillies walked down today before. I'm not going to get on them too hard today, because it's the first time that this has happened this year, but the starting pitching still needs to improve.
Jose Conteras and Nelson Figueroa can eat up some innings, but if the Phillies have to use them too often at the start of the season, they won't be as available during the summer and late season. Luckily, once Joe Blanton comes back, Kyle Kendrick will either move to the bullpen or down to Triple-A again, and the Phils will gain another long relief pitcher. J.C. Romero and Brad Lidge will give them another set of fresh arms when they come back as well, so there aren't too many problems, yet. I just don't want this issue with the starting pitching to go on throughout the season. The starters have to start going deeper into ballgames to prevent things like this from becoming issues. It's just something that has to be done, that's all.
Tomorrow, the Phillies welcome a team that isn't the Nationals or Astros into town. Roy Halladay (2-0, 0.56 ERA) will face the Florida Marlins and Anibal Sanchez (0-0, 6.00 ERA).
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