Phillies Close But Just Can’t Capitalize!

via Phillies Close But Just Can’t Capitalize!.

It is getting very frustrating to watch the Phillies recently, especially this past week. The Phillies continued their losing streak, now at 4 games after last night’s loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. The Phillies loss 4 to 3 but had plenty of chances to capitalize and end the streak but failed to do so. Cole Hamels who is the supposed to be the ace of the staff has been making strides in his last 3 starts (including last night) to become the pitcher the Phillies desperately need at this moment but he failed to do so again last night. He did pitch decent and kept the Phillies in the game but his efforts were put to the waste side. The Phillies were down 2-0, when the Phillies offense actually showed some life, Jimmy Rollins who was back in the leadoff spot last night doubled off Adam Wainwright, and Freddy Galvis who playing leftfield for the injured Domonic Brown doubled also to score Rollins and cut the lead to 2 to 1. Chase Utley who has been the only coincident Phillies hitter singled up to middle and helped Galvis score on the play, and the Phillies are back in it, 2-2. But every time the Phillies tied the game, the Cardinals had an answer. Next inning David Freese doubled to right field and next hitter John Jay bunts to let Freese go to third and he scores on a Pete Kozma sac fly to give the Cardinals a 3-2 lead. But the Phillies looked like the old Phillies chipping away and getting back in the ballgame. The bottom of the 7^th, the Turkey Bacon connoisseur Eric Kratz singled to left field and let’s John Mayberry who singled to start the inning scored after Revere sacrifice him over. The game is tied 3-3! Maybe we can win this, well the setup man Mike Adams comes in who has been pitching great all season only giving up one run failed to keep the tied for the Phillies, he gives up a Home Run to Carlos Beltran on a ball that just keep carrying, and in any other ballpark would have been an out. The game is now 4 to 3 Cardinals. It is the bottom of the 9^th and it’s up to the Phillies now to win this. Ben Revere and Kratz both single giving the Phillies runners at the corners with NO OUTS! Well, that is where it would stop, Kevin Frandsen swings at the first pitch and grounds out to short, Jimmy Rollins who looked more interested in what to do after the game then the game itself, carelessly swings and misses on a pitch that was in the dirt,  then Galvis grounds out to second base and ends the game. Another game where the Phillies failed to capitalize and failed once again the get a walk, in their 4^th straight game! After the game Charlie Manual said “I felt like tonight we hit the ball good,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “We had runners on base. That’s the best we’ve hit in a while.” (1). The Phillies continue their series against the Cardinals and send old ace Roy Halladay to the mound, Halladay is coming off his best start of the season, where he went 8 innings of one run ball and got the win a against the Miami Marlins. The Cardinals will counter with Jaime Garcia, who is 1 and 0 and has a 1.86 ERA this season. The game starts at 7:05pm and will be featured on Comcast SportsNet.

(1)- http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_04_18_slnmlb_phimlb_1&mode=recap_home&c_id=phi#gid=2013_04_18_slnmlb_phimlb_1&mode=wrap

Photo- http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/20130419_Phils_competitive_but_lose_again.html