Phillies Outsuck Chase Utley’s Heroism, Lose 5-2

Aug 7, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels (35) wipes his face during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park. The Cubs defeated the Phillies 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

It was a heroic night for Chase Utley, who mid-game chose to imprison himself in red pinstripes for at least two more years, then tied the game, then took out Dioner Navarro.

But as usual, it was all for nothing.

Cole Hamels took the mound last night, hoping for his first win of the second half, and boy, did he not get it.  Not through his own doing, of course.  Cole went seven strong, allowing only six hits and two runs.  He K’d three and allowed a home run to

young phenom

normal guy Donnie Murphy that tied the game at one in the third after a Dom Brown home run.

After that, the Phillies just failed on all counts to support him.  They left nine runners on base, going 2-for-8 with RISP. Dom Brown’s home run was a delight, but after Junior Lake (no idea) singled in Cody Ransom (yes, these are the players employed by the Cubs. Of course we have Michael Martinez and John Mayberry so), it was a 2-1 disaster with four innings left to blow it even further.

Aug 7, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pinch hitter Chase Utley (26) collides with Chicago Cubs catcher Dioner Navarro (30) while attempting to score during the seventh inning at Citizens Bank Park. Utley would be called out on the play and Navarro would leave he game with an injury. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Utley, who had not gotten the start because he had to sit in the clubhouse with team reps and pound his fist on the table until they realized him wanting to stay in Philly wasn’t just a sick joke, pinch hit for Carlos Ruiz in the seventh, who had also not gotten the start and was pinch hitting for Cole Hamels.  Wacky!

Chase promptly singled in John Mayberry, who had led off with a double, and immediately, the extension was paying off.  On the next play, Kevin Frandsen’s RBI single came without an RBI, as Chase was thrown out at the plate, despite his best efforts to destroy Dioner Navarro.

Tie game, then, with the Phillies bullpen coming on.  So, not a tie game for long.

And it wasn’t.  Justin De Fratus came in and gave up a three-run bomb to human monster just a regular baseball player with a lifetime .208 batting average, Donnie Murphy.  With that, the game was far, far out of reach.

Darin Ruf, Delmon Young, and Erik Kratz all contributed to Pedro Strop’s striking out of the side in the eighth, and the 1-2-3 ninth settled it: The Phillies are in fourth place, behind the Mets.