The Phils completed their series with the Marlins this afternoon. Cole Hamels got the start and seemed to get his old swagger back, allowing just 2 runs on 7 hits while striking out 8 over 8 innings. Unfortunately for Cole, like Jamie last night, Florida's pitching was slightly better, as Nate Robertson, Burke Badenhop, and Leo Junez combined for a 4 hit shutout. The Phils just couldn't figure out Robertson who's been in the American League up until now, and loves pound the ball inside on both corners, whereas most of the Phils hitters, other than Chase Utley who can hit anything, like the ball out over the plate. So he had lot of guys grounding out and jamming themselves. Badenhop has just been having a great year out of the pen for the Fish and simply continued it tonight. Finally Nunez is the Marlins flame throwing closer. He's frustrated Phil's hitters with his speed in the past and he did again today. So I don't blame them for not being able to come up with too much today, especially with no Jimmy Rollins to spark things at the top of the lineup.
As for Cole, it was great to see him pitch so well and that's one positive the Phils can take out of this game. He made arguably the best hitter in baseball, Hanley Ramirez, look pretty bad in going 0 for 4. Ultimately, he really kept the Marlins from putting much of anything together either. He just made one mistake to Dan Uggla in the 2nd inning and Uggla knocked it out off park. Even he had pitched 8 scoreless though, the Phils would probably still have lost because their lineup just didn't have it today. Over a 162 game season that will happen every once and while and it's nothing to fret about, unless it turns into something long term, which I don't think it will. Anyway with the loss the Phils drop to 8-4 overall which is not the best record in baseball anymore but still at least tied for the top mark in the NL.
2 comments:
Cole Hamels shows his good stuff and the Phillies repay him by not getting a single run. Amazing. It just seems that both peices of the puzzle cant show up at the same time. The Phillies better pick up their offense or they're going to find themselves in last.
-to ph1llysports
uh right now they are still in first by a half a game, and the Mets are well back in last place. They would really have to go on the skids to fall that far down. Besides the players themselves aren't worried right now so why should we be?
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