The Tigers completed their sweep of the Phillies in embarrassing fashion this afternoon. The Phillies have now lost eight straight games since scoring 13 against the Mets on July 19, all but sealing their fate as sellers in the next few days. Things started off just fine for the Phillies, but then the wheels fell off on the way to a 12 to 4 loss.
Jonathan Pettibone got the start for the Phillies and was doing just fine early. Pettibone pitched four shutout innings to start the game before allowing three runs in the fifth. Jake Diekman and Luis Garcia came on to try and handle the sixth, to no avail. Both allowed four runs apiece, all unearned thanks to multiple errors by the fielders, with only Diekman recording an out in his time pitched. Antonio Bastardo came on next and stopped the bleeding while getting the remaining two outs in the inning. Bastardo returned to pitch the seventh and allowed one run to the Tigers, to see his line for the day finish at one and two-thirds innings pitched with one earned run. Jonathan Papelbon tossed a scoreless eighth, allowing two hits.
Things were looking bright for the Phillies early in the game, just a few hours removed from being shutout last night. The Phillies got on the board thanks to an RBI single from Carlos Ruiz in the second to take a 1 to 0 lead. Laynce Nix singled home a run in the fourth and Darin Ruf did the same in the fifth to stake the Phillies pitchers a three run lead, something that seems unheard of recently. Then it all went downhill. The Phillies allowed twelve unanswered runs before finally tacking on a fourth run in the eighth on a Kevin Frandsen single. Ruf and Frandsen each recorded two hits on the day, including a double apiece. Recent call-up Steve Susdorf added a double as well, going 1 for 4 on the day.
The Phillies will now have tomorrow off as they return home to face the Giants on Tuesday. John Lannan will face Barry Zito as the Phillies try to stop a season long eight game losing streak.
By: Kyle Babcock
Follow us on Twitter: @BroadStBeat
Things were looking bright for the Phillies early in the game, just a few hours removed from being shutout last night. The Phillies got on the board thanks to an RBI single from Carlos Ruiz in the second to take a 1 to 0 lead. Laynce Nix singled home a run in the fourth and Darin Ruf did the same in the fifth to stake the Phillies pitchers a three run lead, something that seems unheard of recently. Then it all went downhill. The Phillies allowed twelve unanswered runs before finally tacking on a fourth run in the eighth on a Kevin Frandsen single. Ruf and Frandsen each recorded two hits on the day, including a double apiece. Recent call-up Steve Susdorf added a double as well, going 1 for 4 on the day.
The Phillies will now have tomorrow off as they return home to face the Giants on Tuesday. John Lannan will face Barry Zito as the Phillies try to stop a season long eight game losing streak.
By: Kyle Babcock
Follow us on Twitter: @BroadStBeat