Phillies Fail Hard Enough to Lose Much Worse than 4-3

"“The Phillies are just the fourth NL team since 1935 to play four consecutive games without a walk.”—Todd Zolecki, Phillies.com"

The Phillies proved that the entire series in Cincinnati wasn’t a fluke as they continued to not hit (timely), score, or walk to much success in game one of a four-game home series with the Cardinals.

Cole Hamels threw his first good game of

Apr 18, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels (35) delivers to the plate during the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. The Cardinals defeated the Phillies 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

he season, going seven strong innings, allowing three runs, five hits, two walks, and eight strikeouts.  Mike Adams relieved him in the eighth and allowed *another* home run, a la Carlos Beltran, breaking a tie game with the eventual winning run.  Papelbon pitched a depressing scoreless ninth.

The Cardinals did not hit much, notching seven against the Phillies’ 13.  They were 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position, but still scored four runs.

Youthful Freddy Galvis, not quite gassed and complacent like the rest of this lineup looks, was 2-for-5 for the Phillies with an RBI double in the fourth, and was himself knocked in by Chase Utley.  At the time, this tied the game (In the fourth, Yadier Molina doubled in Matt Holliday and Allen Craig off Hamels).

Both teams scored in the seventh; a sac fly by Pete Kozma in the top of the inning and an RBI single from Erik Kratz in the bottom.  Then came Beltran’s home run, and the Phillies summoned just enough life in the bottom of the ninth to leave runners stranded at second and third.  Ground out-strikeout-ground out can be carved into the epitaph.

John Mayberry fell down and rolled around on the ground while trying to catch a fly ball.

"“In order to win ballgames, you have to be great all the time.”—Cole Hamels"

Awesome.

When it all went wrong

I’ll stretch this as far as J-Roll’s strikeout in the bottom of the ninth.  He goes down swinging – giving the even more futile look to his out – and the rally is now one out away from being totally killed.  Demoralizing.

Hero

Thanks for trying, Freddy.  Though you were the last out of the game.

Villain

Beltran’s dinger broke it up, but he also had a stupid, slightly jumping catch to steal extra bases.

TBOH’S thoughts