Game Recap:
After taking the lead in the eighth inning with back to back home runs, Ryan Madson lost the lead for the Phillies in the bottom of the eighth, and Martin Prado won the game for Atlanta in the tenth with his fourth hit of the night.
What went right?
Chase Utley was 2-5 with a run scored and an RBI.
Ryan Howard went 2-5 with an RBI.
John Mayberry was 1-1 with a pinch hit home run.
Pedro Feliz went 3-3 with a home run right after Mayberry in the eighth inning.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins returned to the lineup...and looked exactly the same, going 0-5.
Carlos Ruiz went 0-4.
Joe Blanton only pitched five innings, allowing three runs on eight hits. He walked three and struck out three.
Ryan Madson lost the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, allowing a run on one hit and two walks.
Chan Ho Park couldn't get out of the tenth inning, allowing the game winning run, along with three hits.
Jayson Werth went 0-4.
Game Analysis:
After a game on Sunday where the bullpen really helped the Phillies out, last night, the same group of pitchers couldn't get anything to happen for them. It was a shame, too, because the Phillies showed a lot of heart by coming back against a very tough Atlanta bullpen.
Even though the Phillies managed to hit three home runs, and Shane Victorino nailed Derek Lowe right on the ass with a ball hit back up the middle, the pitching just kept the Braves right in the game. Every time the Phillies scored, the pitching would let the Braves score in their half of the inning. Joe Blanton didn't look bad, but he wasn't great, and if a starter can't make it more than six innings, it's up to the bullpen to get things taken care of. Last night, after John Mayberry and Pedro Feliz hit the first two righthanded home runs off of Mike Gonzalez all season, Ryan Madson couldn't get the three outs needed to bring Brad Lidge into the game. Of course, no one could get Martin Prado out, so when he came up to the plate in the tenth inning with runners on, you knew how it would end.
The other main issue from last night was the "glorious" return of Jimmy Rollins. After spending four games on the bench, Rollins came back last night and looked just as bad as when he left. He swung at pitches in the dirt, he swung at the first pitch, and he still does not look comfortable at the plate. It's hard to believe that this is the same guy that won the MVP just two years ago. There is something wrong with him upstairs, there has to be. He needs to get his head back in the game before he can get back to where he usually is. The Phillies need Jimmy to be a good player. He's the leadoff man, if he's not getting on base, then the Phils can't score as often. This has to change.
Later on today, Cole Hamels (4-4, 4.44 ERA), tries to get the Phillies back on track, as he takes on Jair Jurrjens (5-6, 2.93). Go Phils!
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