Game Recap:
After Carlos Ruiz tied the game with a two out, two run double in the ninth inning, Chad Durbin was hit for two runs in the tenth inning as the Phillies dropped their second straight game to the Dodgers.
What went right?
Carlos Ruiz continued his recent hot streak, going 2-2 with his first two RBI of the season, as well as two walks. Fear the Chooooooch!
Cole Hamels continued to get back to his World Series MVP form, throwing seven innings of seven hit, two run baseball. He struck out nine and walked one, and was on the hook for the loss before Ruiz came up big in the ninth.
What went wrong?
Jayson Werth went 0-4 with four strikeouts.
Chase Utley still couldn't find his way on the homestand, going 0-3 with two strikeouts.
Ryan Howard drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning, but finished the game 0-4 with two strikeouts.
Brad Lidge still didn't look too hot, giving up a run in the ninth inning.
Chad Durbin was pegged with the loss, allowing two runs in the top of the tenth inning.
Game Analysis:
I don't know what is wrong with the Phillies right now, but I don't like it. Their pitching finally starts to come around, and their bats go quiet. Chase Utley and Ryan Howard were totally useless in this series, with neither one of them getting a hit against the Dodgers. When the two biggest bats in your lineup can't hit the ball, you're not going to win games, and that's what happened with the Phils in this series. When Cole Hamels is pitching like he did today, you have to find a way to get runs home, and the Phillies just couldn't do it. They had Chad Billingsley on the ropes a few times, but a baserunning mistake in the fifth inning cost them a big chance to break the game open, as runners on the corners with one out turned into a bizarre strike out, throw out double play.
The blame for this loss can also be placed on Charlie Manuel, though only slightly. I'm not sure why exactly he would bring Brad Lidge into a non save situation, with the Phillies losing in the ninth inning. Maybe it was the only arm he wanted to have in at that time, but either way, he wasted Lidge for a later inning, and he might have needed him more in the tenth inning. Besides, Lidge still doesn't look anything like the player he was last year, and I still think his knee is bothering him. He's getting lit up almost every time he comes into the game, and while he gave up his share of hits last year, he didn't give up many runs. This year, those baserunners are turning into runs, and it's a big problem. An 8.59 ERA isn't good enough for anyone, let alone a man who didn't blow a save last season.
The Phillies need to start getting their act together. They just dropped two straight to a team without their best player, and their big bats aren't hitting right now. Maybe a trip to Washington will be a good thing, but if they lose this series to the Nationals, it could be the start of something bad. These next four games are incredibly important, as I don't want to see the Phils at or under .500 any more.
Tomorrow, Joe Blanton (1-3, 6.82 ERA) faces off against John Lannon (2-3, 3.89 ERA). My old roommate and I referred to Lannon as "Emo Pitcher." We were younger and drunk, what do you want from us? Either way, go Phillies!
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