The Phils’ bats are once again silent as they again fall to the Giants, 4-1.
For the second straight game the Phils’ bats are kept under control by Giants’ pitching as they lose 4-1.
The Giants took a quick 1-0 lead in the second as Pablo Sandoval hits a lead-off home run, his tenth home run of the season. The Giants added to their lead in the fourth as, with one man on, and with two men out, Nate Schierholtz hits an RBI single, scoring Aubrey Huff, who had just doubled, giving the Giants a 2-0 lead. The Giants then increased their lead in the seventh as, with runners on the corners, and with one man out, Aaron Rowand hits a grounder to third baseman Michael Martinez, who then bobbled the ball, allowing Shierholtz, who had earlier walked, then went to third on Chris Steward’s single, to score, giving the Giants a 3-0 lead, before throwing the ball away, allowing Rowand to be safe at first on the throwing error, while allowing Steward, who had earlier singled, to go around first second, and then third, before scoring, giving the Giants a 4-0 lead, before Rowand would move up to second base on the error. The Phils would finally get on the scoreboard in their half of the seventh as, with runners on the corners, and with two men out, Chase Utley, after ruining three previous opportunities to knock in a run, hits an RBI double, scoring Carlos Ruiz, who had earlier doubled, then went to third on pitcher Ramon Ramirez’s fielding error of a Martinez’s grounder, cutting the Giants’ lead down to 4-1, while sending Martinez, who had reached base on an error, on to third base. That would end up being the final score as Brian Wilson recorded his thirty-third save of the season by shutting down the Phils in the ninth.
Kyle Kendrick (5-5, 3.52) took the lost as he went six and a third innings, giving up four runs, only three of which were earned, on six hits and two walks, while he struck out four. Juan Perez pitched a third of an inning, getting out the only man that he would face. Brad Lidge also pitched a third of an inning, getting out the only man that he would face. Michael Stutes and David Herndon combined to pitch a pair of 1-2-3 innings. Tim Lincecum (9-8, 2.78) got the win as he threw six scoreless innings, giving up only three hits and four walks, while striking out six. Ramon Ramirez pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up an unearned run on a hit, while striking out one. Jeremy Affeldt received his eleventh hold of the year as he pitched an inning, giving up a hit. Sergio Romo collected his eighteenth hold of the season as he pitched a third of an inning, getting out the only man who he would face. Brian Wilson received his thirty-third save of the season by pitching a scoreless ninth, giving up a hit, while striking out two batters.
The Phils had just six hits in the game, a double by Jimmy Rollins, an RBI double by Chase Utley, a single by Shane Victorino, a double by Carlos Ruiz, a single by Kyle Kendrick and a pinch hit double by pinch hitter Ross Gload, as the Phils were kept off the scoreboard for most of the game by constantly going after Tim Lincecum’s bad pitches out of the strike zone, getting themselves out in the process.
The Phils (65-39, 1st East) will start a three-game series with the Pirates (54-49, 2nd Central), starting with a night game tonight. The game will be played at Citizens Bank Park and will begin at 7:05 pm EDT. The Phils will send to the mound their ace Roy Halladay (12-4, 2.55), who is coming off a win against the Padres on July 24, as he went eight innings, giving up just two runs on eight hits and a walk, while striking out eight, in the Phils’ 5-3 win. He will be out to stop the Phils’ present losing streak. The Pirates will counter with Charlie Morton (8-5, 3.69), who is coming off a no-decision against the Cardinals, as he pitched five and one-third innings, giving up three runs on six hits and five walks, in the Pirates’ 4-3 extra-innings win. He will be trying to keep the Phils’ bats cool. The Phils will be out to give Doc some runs support tonight, to end their present losing streak.
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