I’d like to say that the Phillies are good team that’s just strugglng, but dropping two of three against a team like the Pirates makes you wonder if they were really that good to begin with. Sadly, the Phillies play in a weak division (at least the bottom’s weak) so the Phillies are still tied for second place, even if it is a distant second.
Pitching wasn’t the problem this weekend, it was our bats. We scored a grand total of eight runs, and five of those came in one game. Things got off to a really rough start on Friday when the Phillies lost 3-1. A pretty good start by Bret Myers went to waste because the Phillies only managed a single run on six hits. The only run came when Ryan Howard scored on Mike Lieberthal’s ground out. Myers gave up three runs on nine hits with three walks and eight strikeouts in seven innings yet still took the loss, his first of the season.
Saturday was a tough loss to take because we actually outhit the other team. Cory Lidle gave up three runs (two earned) on only four hits with six strikeouts in six innings but all the Phillies could muster was two runs in the 3-2 loss. Aaron Rowand hit a solo homerun and Pat Burrell singled home Bobby Abreau in the fourth inning.
Sunday we finally hit paydirt. The Phillies touched up a still struggling Oliver Perez to the tune of five runs on eight hits. Pat Burrell and Jimmy Rollns both homered and Abraham Nunez had three hits. Gavin Floyd picked up the win despite walking five guys in only 6 2/3 innings. Fortunately the Pirates stranded 10 guys in the 5-1 win.
The Phillies are tied with the Braves again and we’re both six games back of the Mets, who look like they’re running away with things. The Phillies head to Miami to take on the Florida Marlins for a two game set, so hopefully we’ll get back on track with a couple of wins over the last place team.
