Phillies Recap: Giants-6, Phillies-2

Game Recap:
Jamie Moyer only gave up four runs in six innings, but the Phillies could only manage two runs and five hits as they dropped their second straight game to the Giants.

What went right?

Do I really have to go through this again? When you only have five hits and two runs against a pitcher with an 8+ ERA, nothing went right.

What went wrong?

Aside from Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez, not one Phillies player had a hit. That's right, the rest of the team went 0 for the game, just like the night before.

Jamie Moyer didn't have the best game, getting hit with the loss after allowing four runs on ten hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out two.

Chad Durbin got hit for two runs on two hits in one inning of work. He walked a batter and didn't strike anyone out.

Game Analysis:

There's a reason I'm writing these things the morning after the games out in San Francisco, and it's not just because the games are wrapping up at 1:30 in the morning. It's also because I just have nothing to write about. These last few losses have all been the same, with the starting pitching giving up a few runs and the offense not being able to respond in kind.

So far against the Giants, the Phillies have scored a total of three runs on nine hits. Those were the kind of numbers that they were able to put up in a few innings at the start of the season, and now, they need two games to even come close to that. I mentioned this yesterday, but the absence of Jimmy Rollins is a huge reason why this offense just isn't working right now. Shane Victorino is hitting .226 on the season and just is not a leadoff batter. This team needs Jimmy Rollins batting first, regardless of the first pitch pop-ups, strikeouts and lack of walks, because those weren't there this year, and that's what Rollins does. He gets the offense going and makes this team work, and right now, there's none of that going on.

I really can't bash the starting pitching that much, because everyone is going out there and doing what they have to do. Both Roy Halladay and Jamie Moyer kept the Phillies in their games over the last two days, and both made it at least six innings. There's nothing wrong with that, but when the offense can't get anything going, then those solid pitching efforts are going to go to waste. It's only a matter of time until Rollins comes back and the offense gets back on track, but the Phils can't use that as an excuse while he's out. They need to get that offense going again. Luckily, it's still just April, so the season still has a long way to go. However, they will have to get out of this funk before they dig too big of a hole to try and get out of during the summer.

Today, Cole Hamels (2-2, 5.11 ERA) tries to salvage the last game of this road trip. He'll be facing...Tim Lincecum (4-0, 1.00 ERA). Oh, come on now.