Morning Phil Up – 5/24/2014 – Philadelphia Phillies waste opportunities in loss to Los Angeles Dodgers

May 23, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard (6) reacts after striking out to end the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park. The Dodgers won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Yesterday’s Game

Dodgers defeat Phillies 2-0

Brief Summary

A couple of early runs were enough for the Dodgers. The Phillies wasted some prime scoring opportunities and got shut out once again.

Emotional reaction immediately after the game

Another shutout? How pathetic.

Less emotional reaction after thinking about it a bit

At first glance, Clayton Kershaw vs. Roberto Hernandez should be a loss. But Hernandez pitched well, and the Phillies had some great opportunities to score. They just didn’t take advantage.

Heroes

Coming off a poor start, Kershaw shut the Phillies out for six innings. Carl Crawford made a nice run-saving catch and added a home run.

Goats

Ryan Howard and Marlon Byrd were both 0-4 with three strikeouts.

Today’s Game

Los Angeles Dodgers (26-23) at Philadelphia Phillies (20-25)

David Buchanan. Image Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

TV: CSN

Game time: 3:05 PM

Starting pitchers: Dan Haren (5-2) vs. David Buchanan (0-0)

Preview

The Phillies will attempt to snap a three-game losing streak, and unfortunately, they won’t have Cliff Lee to help them do it. Lee is suffering from an elbow ailment, so David Buchanan will make his season debut in his place. Buchanan pitched well in Spring Training, and with the exception of his most recent outing, was also faring well in the minors.

Dan Haren will be on the mound for the Dodgers. After a poor 2013, Haren has been a very pleasant surprise for the Dodgers. In his previous start against the Phillies, he allowed only one run in six inning.

Link of Interest

 The Zo Zone – Pettibone’s health a growing concern

Jonathan Pettibone was expected to be the Phillies “sixth starter” this season, but shoulder issues seem likely to prevent that from happening. Pettibone was recently diagnosed with a SLAP tear in his shoulder, which is the third time in less than a year that he has had to stop pitching due to injury. For now, he’s planning to treat the injury with cortisone to manage the pain.

Tweet of Importance

The Phillies are getting runners into scoring position. They’re just not getting them home.